当局 (dāng jú) — the (relevant) authorities, the concerned offic… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Formal/literary noun for 'the (relevant) authorities' — the officials in charge of a matter. Usually refers to a government body, more impersonal than "official people" (官员).

noun

the (relevant) authoritiesthe concerned officials

Examples

当局。
dāng jú Yǐ jīng cǎi qǔ le bì yào de cuò shī.
The authorities have already taken necessary measures.
当局。
Jū mín xiàng dāng jú fǎn yìng le huán jìng wū rǎn de wèn tí.
Residents reported the environmental pollution issue to the authorities.
当局。
dāng jú Zhèng zài diào chá zhè cì de jiāo tōng shì gù.
The authorities are investigating this traffic accident.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

当dāngconcerned

局júbureau

当 (concerned) and 局 (bureau) name the bureau in charge.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

田田tiánfield

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng當dāng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

句

句jù局jú

Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

Appears in

Government & Politics

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