疆域 (jiāng yù) — (formal) territory; domain; geographical area under a state's control

Definition

Formal, written word for the territory or geographical area under a state's control — mainly used of empires, dynasties, or countries in historical and political texts.

noun
(formal) territorydomaingeographical area under a state's control
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 疆域。
    Zhè ge dì guó de jiāng yù céng jīng fēi cháng liáo kuò.
    This empire's territory was once very vast.
  • 疆域。
    Lì dài wáng cháo dōu nǔ lì kuò dà zì jǐ de jiāng yù.
    Successive dynasties all strove to expand their own territories.
  • 疆域。
    Zhè zhāng dì tú qīng chǔ dì biāo chū le gǔ dài zhōng guó de jiāng yù fàn wéi.
    This map clearly marks the extent of ancient China's territory.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

疆jiāngborder
域yùregion

疆 means border and 域 means region; together territory under a state.

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
彊
彊qiáng疆jiāng
Same sound today

疆 pairs 土 (earth) with 彊, which gives the sound. The earth part points to land, as in a border.

Open 疆 →

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
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò域yù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

域 uses 土, earth or soil, to show it is about land, and 或 to suggest its pronunciation.

Open 域 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.