生物界 (shēng wù jiè) — the living world, the biological realm

Definition

生物界 refers to all living things on Earth as one system, contrasted with 非生物界 (the non-living world, like rocks). Roughly the biosphere.

noun
the living worldthe biological realm

Examples

  • 生物界。
    Dì qiú shàng de shēng wù jiè fēi cháng fēng fù duō yàng.
    The living world on Earth is extremely rich and diverse.
  • 生物界，。
    Zài shēng wù jiè zhōng, dòng wù hé zhí wù zhǐ shì qí zhōng liǎng lèi.
    In the biological realm, animals and plants are only two categories.
  • ，生物界。
    Yán shí shǔ yú fēi shēng wù jiè, ér kūn chóng zé shǔ yú shēng wù jiè.
    Rocks belong to the non-living world, while insects belong to the living world.

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.

生物living things
生shēnglife物wùthing
偏正Modifier + head
界jièrealm

“生物” (living things) + “界” (realm): realm of living things.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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
牛牛niú
Sound part声符shēngfú
勿
勿wù物wù
Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Open 物 →

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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