边界线 (biān jiè xiàn) — boundary line

Definition

noun
boundary line
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 边界线。
    Liǎng guó zhī jiān de biān jiè xiàn yǐ jīng huà dìng le.
    The boundary line between the two countries has been demarcated.
  • 边界线。
    Dì tú shàng yǒu yì tiáo hóng sè de biān jiè xiàn.
    There is a red boundary line on the map.
  • 边界线。
    Zhè tiáo biān jiè xiàn bǎ liǎng gè shěng fēn kāi le.
    This boundary line separates the two provinces.

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.

边界boundary
边biānborder界jièboundary
联合Side by side
线xiànline

边 “border” and 界 “boundary” both refer to an edge, and 线 means line, so it is the line marking a boundary.

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →

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 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →

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