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关口 (guān kǒu) — (noun) strategic pass; mountain pass; checkpoint; (noun) juncture; critical point; key moment

Definition

Used for both a physical mountain pass or checkpoint and a figurative 'critical juncture / key moment.' The second sense is more common at this level, often paired with 重要 or 关键.

noun
strategic passmountain passcheckpointjuncturecritical pointkey moment
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 关口。
    Jūn duì zài guān kǒu shè xià le zhòng bīng fáng shǒu.
    The army deployed heavy troops to defend the strategic pass.
  • 关口，。
    Zài zhè ge zhòng yào guān kǒu, wǒ men bì xū zuò chū zhèng què de xuǎn zé.
    At this critical juncture, we must make the right choice.
  • 关口。
    Tán pàn yǐ jīng jìn rù le guān jiàn guān kǒu.
    The negotiations have entered a key point.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsGeography & Landforms

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