定局 (dìng jú) — foregone conclusion; inevitable outcome; someth… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A noun for a situation whose outcome is already settled and cannot change — a 'foregone conclusion.' Used as a predicate or object, often with 成 or 已成.

noun

foregone conclusioninevitable outcomesomething already settled and unchangeable

Examples

定局。
Zhè chǎng bǐ sài de jié guǒ yǐ chéng dìng jú.
The outcome of this match is already a foregone conclusion.
定局。
Dà jiā de kàn fǎ yǐ jīng chéng le dìng jú.
Everyone's opinion has become a foregone conclusion.
，定局。
Bǐ sài hái méi jié shù, dàn dìng jú zǎo yǐ què dìng.
The match hasn't ended yet, but the foregone conclusion was already determined.

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.

定dìngsettled

局júsituation

定 gives fixed or settled, and 局 gives situation, so the whole means a settled outcome.

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

宀宀mián

Sound part声符shēngfú

正

正zhèng定dìng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

句

句jù局jú

Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

Appears in

Abstract Concepts

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