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边缘 (biān yuán) — (noun) edge, fringe, verge, brink, periphery; (adjective) marginal, borderline

Definition

边缘 is the outer edge of something — physical (the edge of a city) or figurative (marginal, peripheral). 边 is the everyday word for a simple side or edge; 边缘 emphasizes the fringe/boundary zone, and as an adjective means 'marginal' (e.g., 边缘学科).

noun
edgefringevergebrinkperiphery
adjective
marginalborderline
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 边缘，。
    Tā zhù zài chéng shì de biān yuán, shàng bān hěn bù fāng biàn.
    He lives on the edge of the city; commuting is very inconvenient.
  • 边缘。
    Nà tiáo xiǎo hé cóng shù lín de biān yuán liú guò.
    That small stream flows along the edge of the woods.
  • 边缘，。
    Zhè ge wèn tí bǐ jiào biān yuán, xū yào zǐ xì tǎo lùn.
    This issue is borderline; it needs careful discussion.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

边biānedge
缘yuánrim

边 and 缘 both point to the outer rim; together they denote the edge or periphery.

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 →
Appears in
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