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两岸 (liǎng àn) — both shores, both banks (literal); cross-strait relations (referring to Taiwan and mainland China)

Definition

Literally 'both banks/shores' (of a river or strait); the set phrase 两岸关系 refers specifically to cross-strait relations between Taiwan and mainland China. 双方 means 'both parties' in any context; 两岸 is tied to the geographic/strait meaning.

noun
both shoresboth banks (literal)cross-strait relations (referring to Taiwan and mainland China)

Examples

  • 两岸。
    Zhè tiáo hé de liǎng àn zhǒng le hěn duō liǔ shù.
    Many willow trees are planted on both banks of this river.
  • ，两岸。
    Jìn nián lái, liǎng àn jīng mào hé zuò yuè lái yuè jǐn mì.
    In recent years, cross-strait economic and trade cooperation has become increasingly close.
  • 两岸。
    liǎng àn Duì huà yǒu zhù yú wéi hù dì qū de hé píng.
    Cross-strait dialogue helps maintain peace in the region.

Origin

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.

两liǎngtwo
岸ànbank

两 gives two, and 岸 gives banks or shores, so the phrase means both sides.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 兩; 两 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 兩 is described as combining 一 and 㒳. The simplified 两 is a later abbreviation.

Open 两 →

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
屵屵àncliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān岸àn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

岸 shows 屵, a cliff, next to 干, which gives a clue to the sound; together they point to the edge of land.

Open 岸 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6

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