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降临 (jiàng lín) — to descend, to arrive, to befall (formal, used for grand or abstract events)

Definition

A formal, often grand verb meaning 'to arrive' or 'to befall' — used for events, opportunities, or disasters, not casual visits. Far more literary than 到来 or 来; close to 莅临 but not limited to distinguished guests.

verb
to descendto arriveto befall (formal, used for grand or abstract events)

Examples

  • 降临。
    Xìng yùn zhī shén zhōng yú jiàng lín le.
    The goddess of luck has finally arrived.
  • 降临。
    Zāi nàn tū rán jiàng lín zài zhè ge xiǎo zhèn.
    Disaster suddenly befell this small town.
  • 降临，。
    Jī huì jiàng lín shí, yí dìng yào zhuā zhù.
    When opportunity comes, you must seize it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

降jiàngdescend
临línarrive

“降” means descend and “临” means arrive, together describing something coming down to arrive.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fùhill, wall
Sound part声符shēngfú
夅
夅jiàng降xiáng
Same sound today

降 pairs 阝 (a hill or wall, written in full as 阜) with 夅, a sound part meaning 'to descend'; together they picture descending a hill.

Open 降 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 臨; 临 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 臨, 人 is a person, 臣 is an eye, and 品 is objects, showing a person looking down at objects.

Open 临 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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