近况 (jìn kuàng) — recent situation; how things have been lately

Definition

noun

recent situationhow things have been lately

近况？
Nǐ zuì jìn jìn kuàng zěn me yàng?
How have things been with you lately?
近况。
Tā xiě xìn gào sù le wǒ tā de jìn kuàng.
He wrote to tell me about his recent situation.
，近况。
Wǒ hěn jiǔ méi jiàn nǐ le, xiǎng liǎo jiě yí xià nǐ de jìn kuàng.
I haven't seen you in a long time; I'd like to know how you've been.

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.

近 means recent or near, and 况 means situation or condition, so the word refers to recent developments.

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.

辶斤近

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

斤

Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

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 況; 况 is its simplified writing.

氵兄況

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐriver

Sound part声符shēngfú

兄

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 況 pairs 氵 (river) with 兄 as the sound part; the simplified 况 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Appears in