定居 (dìng jū) — to settle (in a place) permanently; to take up… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

定居 means to settle permanently in a place — emphasizes long-term, fixed residence. Stronger/more final than 居住 (to reside, can be temporary) and 入住 (to move in / check in).

verb

to settle (in a place) permanentlyto take up residence

Examples

定居。
Tā jué dìng zài zhōng guó dìng jū.
He decided to settle in China.
，定居。
Tuì xiū yǐ hòu, tā men xuǎn zé zài xiāng xia dìng jū.
After retirement, they chose to settle in the countryside.
，定居。
Zhè ge chéng shì huán jìng hěn hǎo, hěn shì hé dìng jū.
This city's environment is very good, very suitable for settling.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

居jūresidence

定 (fix) and 居 (residence) combine to mean fix one's residence.

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.

尸古居

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

古

古gǔ居jū

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

居 is built from 尸 as the meaning part and 古 (gǔ) as the sound part.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Home & Housing

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