邻邦 (lín bāng) — (formal) neighboring country, neighboring state

Definition

Formal written term for a neighboring country. 比邻国更书面、庄重,常见于官方外交语境。

noun

(formal) neighboring countryneighboring state

邻邦。
Liǎng guó shì shān shuǐ xiāng lián de lín bāng.
The two countries are close neighbors linked by mountains and rivers.
邻邦。
Zhōng guó shǐ zhōng yǔ lín bāng bǎo chí zhe yǒu hǎo guān xì.
China has always maintained friendly relations with its neighboring countries.
邻邦。
Zhè cì fǎng wèn yǒu zhù yú zēng jìn yǔ lín bāng de hé zuò.
This visit helps to enhance cooperation with neighboring countries.

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.

邻línneighboring

邻 means neighboring, and 邦 means country, so it denotes a neighboring state.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鄰; 邻 is its simplified writing.

粦阝鄰

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

丰阝邦

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as邑yì

Sound part声符shēngfú

丰

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

邦 combines 丰, which gives the sound, with 阝, the side form of 邑, a settlement.