边缘性 (biān yuán xìng) — marginality; peripherality; the state of being marginal or on the edge

Definition

A formal, academic term for the state of being on the edge or outside the mainstream — used in sociology, politics, and culture to describe groups, identities, or phenomena seen as peripheral.

noun
marginalityperipheralitythe state of being marginal or on the edge

Examples

  • 边缘性。
    Zhè ge dì qū de biān yuán xìng wèn tí yì zhí méi yǒu dé dào zhòng shì.
    The marginality problem of this region has never received attention.
  • 边缘性。
    Shè huì biān yuán xìng qún tǐ xū yào gèng duō de zhèng cè zhī chí.
    Socially marginalized groups need more policy support.
  • 边缘性。
    Tā de yán jiū jù jiāo yú wén huà biān yuán xìng xiàn xiàng.
    Her research focuses on the phenomenon of cultural marginality.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

边缘edge
边biānborder缘yuánedge
联合Side by side
性xìngquality

边缘 names an edge, and 性 gives the sense of a quality or state, yielding marginality.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 緣; 缘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
彖
彖tuàn緣⁰yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緣 puts 糸 (silk) beside 彖, which gives the sound; the simplified 缘 is a later abbreviation.

Open 缘 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

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