TongTong
Sign in

界线 (jiè xiàn) — dividing line, boundary; limit, bound

Definition

界线 means a dividing line or limit, often figurative (e.g., boundaries of speech). Compare 边界 (a physical border between regions) and 底线 (a firm, non-negotiable bottom line).

noun
dividing lineboundarylimitbound
Measure word · 条
Easily confused

Examples

  • 界线。
    Zhè liǎng kuài dì de jiè xiàn shì yì pái shù.
    The dividing line between these two plots is a row of trees.
  • 界线，。
    Shuō huà yào zhù yì jiè xiàn, bú yào shāng hài bié rén.
    When speaking, you should be mindful of boundaries and not hurt others.
  • 界线。
    Zhè tiáo gōng lù jiù shì liǎng shěng de jiè xiàn.
    This highway is the boundary between the two provinces.

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.

界jièboundary
线xiànline

'界' gives boundary sense and '线' gives line sense, together a dividing line.

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
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè界jiè
Same sound today

界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.

Open 界 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.