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限于 (xiàn yú) — to be limited to; to be confined to

Definition

限于 (xiàn yú) marks a scope or boundary, used as a preposition-like verb meaning 'limited to / confined to'. Compared with 限制 (the act of imposing a limit) and 限定 (to define/fix a range), 限于 simply states the existing boundary, not who set it.

verb
to be limited toto be confined to

Examples

  • 限于，。
    xiàn yú Piān fú, zhè piān wén zhāng bù néng xiáng xì tǎo lùn.
    Limited by space, this article cannot discuss in detail.
  • 。
    Wǒ men de tǎo lùn zhī xiàn yú jǐ gè wèn tí.
    Our discussion is limited to a few questions.
  • 限于。
    Zhè ge zhèng cè xiàn yú tè dìng rén qún.
    This policy is limited to specific groups.

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.

限xiànlimit
于yúto

限 (limit) and 于 (to) combine to mean being confined to something.

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
⻖Written in full as阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn限xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

限 pairs ⻖ (mound, written 阜) with 艮 as a sound part; the mound side gives the sense of a boundary or limit.

Open 限 →

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

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6

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