搭界 (dā jiè) — to border on, to be adjacent to (geographic); (colloquial, usually negative) to have connections or dealings with; to be related to

Definition

Literally 'to border on' (places next to each other). Colloquially, usually in negatives like 不搭界, it means 'to have anything to do with' — i.e., no connection or dealings.

verb
to border onto be adjacent to (geographic)(colloquial, usually negative) to have connections or dealings withto be related to

Examples

  • 搭界，。
    Zhè liǎng gè cūn zi dā jiè, zǒu lù shí fēn zhōng jiù dào le.
    These two villages border each other; it's a ten-minute walk.
  • 。
    Zhè jiàn shì gēn wǒ wán quán bù dā shén me jiè.
    This matter has absolutely nothing to do with me.
  • ，搭界。
    Tā men liǎ suī rán zhù dé jìn, dàn cóng lái bù dā jiè.
    Although the two of them live close by, they never have any dealings with each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

搭dāconnect
界jièboundary

搭 (connect) with 界 (boundary) gives the sense of touching or being related.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
荅
荅dá搭dā
Same sound today

搭 is built from 扌, a hand, and 荅, which gives the sound. The hand part points to actions done with the hand.

Open 搭 →

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
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè界jiè
Same sound today

界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.

Open 界 →

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