地缘 (dì yuán) — geopolitical; geo- (relating to geographic factors in international or regional relations)

Definition

Used as a modifier in formal/political contexts ('geopolitical', 'geo-'), describing how location shapes international or regional relations. Almost always appears in compounds like 地缘政治 or 地缘关系.

adjective
geopoliticalgeo- (relating to geographic factors in international or regional relations)

Examples

  • 地缘。
    Liǎng guó zhī jiān de dì yuán guān xì fēi cháng fù zá.
    The geopolitical relationship between the two countries is very complex.
  • 地缘。
    Zhè ge dì qū de dì yuán yōu shì hěn míng xiǎn.
    This region's geo‑advantages are very obvious.
  • 地缘。
    dì yuán Zhèng zhì yǐng xiǎng le quán qiú jīng jì de fā zhǎn.
    Geopolitics has influenced the development of the global economy.

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.

地dìearth
缘yuántie

地 ('earth') and 缘 ('tie') combine to mean geographic ties.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

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 緣; 缘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
彖
彖tuàn緣⁰yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緣 puts 糸 (silk) beside 彖, which gives the sound; the simplified 缘 is a later abbreviation.

Open 缘 →

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