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锁定 (suǒ dìng) — to lock securely (physically); to lock (a file, device, or access; password-protect or restrict); to focus on, to target; to pinpoint

Definition

锁定 is the compound verb form: the physical/digital 'locking' action of 锁, plus the figurative 'lock onto / pinpoint' sense (a target, location, or issue). Compared with 针对 and 着眼, it implies the target is fixed and held, not just aimed at.

verb
to lock securely (physically)to lock (a file, device, or access; password-protect or restrict)to focus onto targetto pinpoint

Examples

  • 锁定。
    Xì tǒng yǐ jīng suǒ dìng le kě yí zhàng hù.
    The system has locked the suspicious account.
  • 锁定。
    Jǐng fāng tōng guò jiān kòng shè xiàng tóu suǒ dìng le xián yí rén de wèi zhì.
    The police pinpointed the suspect's location via surveillance cameras.
  • 锁定。
    Chū mén qián jì de suǒ dìng hǎo mén chuāng.
    Remember to lock the doors and windows securely before going out.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

锁suǒlock
定dìngfirm

锁 locks and 定 makes it firm, giving lock into place.

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 鎖; 锁 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧴪
𧴪𧴪鎖suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鎖 pairs 金 (metal) with a sound component, 𧴪; the simplified 锁 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the original parts.

Open 锁 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-95000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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