毗邻 (pí lín) — to adjoin; to border on

Definition

A formal/written verb meaning 'to adjoin, to border on' — usually used for regions, land, or properties that physically touch. More literary than the everyday 紧挨着 or 靠近.

verb
to adjointo border on

Examples

  • 毗邻。
    Zhè ge shěng yǔ hé běi shěng pí lín.
    This province adjoins Hebei province.
  • 毗邻。
    Tā de fáng zi yǔ gōng yuán pí lín.
    His house adjoins the park.
  • 毗邻。
    Zhè liǎng kuài tián dì xiāng hù pí lín.
    These two fields adjoin each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

毗píadjacent
邻línneighboring

Adjacent and neighboring together mean bordering on.

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
囟囟xìn
Sound part声符shēngfú
比
比bǐ毗pí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毗 combines 囟 and 比; 比 gives the sound.

Open 毗 →

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 鄰; 邻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as邑yì
Sound part声符shēngfú
粦
粦lín鄰lín
Same sound today

The traditional form 鄰 pairs 粦 (lín) as the sound part with 阝 (the full form 邑, a settlement) as the meaning part; 邻 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 邻 →

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