顺境 (shùn jìng) — favorable circumstances, good times (as opposed to 逆境)

Definition

noun
favorable circumstancesgood times (as opposed to 逆境)

Examples

  • 顺境。
    Rén zài shùn jìng zhōng róng yì biàn de sōng xiè.
    People tend to become slack in favorable circumstances.
  • 顺境，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo zài shùn jìng zhōng zhǎng dà, méi chī guò shén me kǔ.
    He grew up in favorable circumstances and never experienced hardship.
  • 顺境，。
    shùn jìng Shí yào jū ān sī wēi, nì jìng shí yào jiān chí bú xiè.
    In favorable times, be mindful of potential danger; in adverse times, persevere without giving up.

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.

顺shùnfavorable
境jìngcircumstances

顺 suggests smoothness or favor and 境 suggests circumstances, so the word names favorable times.

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 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
竟
竟jìng境jìng
Same sound today

境 pairs 土 (earth) with 竟, which gives the sound; the 土 part carries the meaning.

Open 境 →

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