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局限 (jú xiàn) — to limit, to confine, to restrict (within set boundaries)

Definition

局限 (júxiàn) focuses on inherent, built-in limits (of scope, ability, or perspective) rather than active restriction. Compared with 限制 and 限, it implies the limit is intrinsic to the thing itself, not imposed from outside.

verb
to limitto confineto restrict (within set boundaries)

Examples

  • 局限。
    Wǒ men bù néng jiāng sī wéi jú xiàn zài chuán tǒng mó shì zhōng.
    We cannot confine our thinking to traditional models.
  • 局限。
    Zhè ge lǐ lùn de yìng yòng fàn wéi bù jú xiàn yú yī xué lǐng yù.
    The application of this theory is not limited to the medical field.
  • 局限。
    Tā nián qīng shí bèi shēng huó tiáo jiàn jú xiàn zhù le fā zhǎn.
    When he was young, his development was restricted by living conditions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

局júconfine
限xiànlimit

Both 局 and 限 carry the idea of setting boundaries, so together they mean to confine or restrict.

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
尸尸shī
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.

Open 局 →

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
⻖Written in full as阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn限xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

限 pairs ⻖ (mound, written 阜) with 艮 as a sound part; the mound side gives the sense of a boundary or limit.

Open 限 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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