站位 (zhàn wèi) — position, standpoint (literal or figurative) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

At HSK 7, 站位 is mostly a figurative term for one's 'standpoint' or strategic position in politics, business, or marketing. The literal 'positioning in a game' sense (as in the basketball example) is rarer and more technical.

noun

positionstandpoint (literal or figurative)

Examples

站位。
Tā zài lán qiú bǐ sài zhōng de zhàn wèi fēi cháng zhǔn què.
His positioning in the basketball game was very accurate.
站位。
Wǒ men yīng gāi jiān chí zhèng què de zhèng zhì zhàn wèi.
We should stick to the correct political standpoint.
站位。
Zhè ge gōng sī de shì chǎng zhàn wèi hěn yǒu jìng zhēng lì.
This company's market position is very competitive.

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.

位wèiposition

A 站 position is a 位, or place, for standing.

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.

立占站

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn站zhàn

Same sound today

站 has 立 on the left and 占 on the right; 立 relates to standing, and 占 gives the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

立

立lì位wèi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Appears in

Abstract Concepts

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