分界 (fēn jiè) — to have as a boundary; to be demarcated by

Definition

Used as a verb meaning one thing serves as the boundary between two sides, often paired with 以 'using' or 的 as a nominal boundary. Not the everyday verb 划分 (to divide/allocate).

verb
to have as a boundaryto be demarcated by

Examples

  • 分界。
    Zhè tiáo hé shì liǎng guó de fēn jiè.
    This river is the boundary between the two countries.
  • 分界。
    Zhè liǎng kuài dì yǐ nà tiáo xiǎo lù fēn jiè.
    These two plots of land are demarcated by that path.
  • ，。
    Tā men huà le yì tiáo xiàn, fēn qīng le jiè.
    They drew a line and clearly marked the boundary.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

分fēndivide
界jièboundary

分 means to divide, and 界 means a boundary, so the sense is to set a dividing boundary.

Characters in this word

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

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 →

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