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临界 (lín jiè) — critical (in physics/technical contexts)

Definition

Technical adjective meaning 'critical' — the precise threshold where a physical change happens (temperature, pressure, state). Almost only used in science/engineering contexts, not daily speech.

adjective
critical (in physics/technical contexts)

Examples

  • 100。
    Shuǐ de lín jiè diǎn shì 100 shè shì dù.
    The critical point of water is 100 degrees Celsius.
  • 临界。
    Zhè ge shí yàn xū yào jīng què kòng zhì lín jiè wēn dù.
    This experiment requires precise control of the critical temperature.
  • 临界，。
    Dāng yā lì dá dào lín jiè zhí shí, qì tǐ huì biàn chéng yè tǐ.
    When the pressure reaches the critical value, the gas turns into a liquid.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

临línapproach
界jièboundary

临界 joins 临 (approach) and 界 (boundary), so it marks something at the edge of a limit.

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 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 →

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
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè界jiè
Same sound today

界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.

Open 界 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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