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沾边 (zhān biān) — to be relevant / connected to (something); to have bearing on; (often in negative) to be nowhere near; to be wide of the mark

Definition

A separable verb meaning 'to be relevant / have bearing on' something. Almost always used in the negative (沾不上边, 不沾边) to mean 'off the mark, nothing to do with it.'

verb
to be relevant / connected to (something)to have bearing on(often in negative) to be nowhere nearto be wide of the mark

Examples

  • 沾边。
    Zhè jiàn shì gēn wǒ yì diǎn dōu zhān biān.
    This matter has nothing to do with me at all.
  • 。
    Tā de dá àn gēn běn zhān bú shàng biān.
    His answer is completely off the mark.
  • 沾边。
    Nǐ shuō de zhè xiē gēn wèn tí wán quán bù zhān biān.
    What you're saying has nothing to do with the question.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

沾zhāntouch
边biānedge

沾 'touch' and 边 'edge' combine as touching the edge, giving the sense of being connected or relevant.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn沾zhān
Same sound today

The left part 水 is water, so the shape fits meanings like moisten and soak; the right part 占 gives the sound.

Open 沾 →

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →
Appears in
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