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介于 (jiè yú) — to lie between; to be situated between (formal, often used with 之间)

Definition

介于 (jièyú) is a formal written verb meaning 'to lie between' two states or positions, always followed by A和/与B之间. It is more literary than the everyday 之间.

verb
to lie betweento be situated between (formal, often used with 之间)

Examples

  • 介于，。
    Zhè jiàn shì jiè yú chéng gōng hé shī bài zhī jiān, xū yào jǐn shèn chǔ lǐ.
    This matter lies between success and failure and needs careful handling.
  • 介于，。
    Zhè zhǒng yán sè jiè yú lán sè hé zǐ sè zhī jiān, hěn nán miáo shù.
    This color is between blue and purple and hard to describe.
  • 介于，。
    Tā de tài dù jiè yú zàn tóng yǔ fǎn duì zhī jiān, ràng rén zhuō mō bú tòu.
    His attitude lies between approval and opposition, making him hard to read.

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.

介jièlie between
于yúat

介 expresses lying between, and 于 adds a locative sense, giving the idea of being between.

Characters in this word

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

介 shows a central human form with two marks around it, indicating being between.

Open 介 →

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 7-9

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