Learn a Chinese Character - 疆

1. Character Basics

Radical: 弓/gōng radical (弓字旁)

Stroke Count: 19

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jiāng (first tone)

3. Meaning

boundary, frontier, border, territory

4. Common Words

• 边疆 (biān jiāng) - frontier, border area
• 新疆 (Xīn jiāng) - Xinjiang (autonomous region in China)
• 疆域 (jiāng yù) - territory, domain
• 疆土 (jiāng tǔ) - land, territory
• 疆界 (jiāng jiè) - boundary, border
• 开疆拓土 (kāi jiāng tuò tǔ) - to expand territory

5. Grammar & Usage

疆 is primarily used as a noun to refer to boundaries, frontiers, or territories. It is often found in compound words that describe geographical or political divisions.

The most common usage of 疆 is in the term 边疆 (biān jiāng), which means "frontier" or "border area." It is also used in the name of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 新疆 (Xīn jiāng).

疆 can also be used in more abstract contexts to refer to the extent or limits of something, as in 视野无疆 (shì yě wú jiāng) meaning "boundless vision."

The character 疆 is often used in idiomatic expressions related to expansion or territorial integrity, such as 保家卫国，守疆护土 (bǎo jiā wèi guó, shǒu jiāng hù tǔ), which means "protect the country and defend the territory."

6. Cultural Background

The concept of 疆 (boundary or territory) has been important in Chinese culture for thousands of years. In ancient China, the defense and management of territorial boundaries was a key concern for rulers, and many historical texts discuss the importance of maintaining clear borders.

新疆 (Xīn jiāng), meaning "New Frontier," has been an integral part of China for centuries and is home to many ethnic groups, including the Uygur, Han, Kazak, and others. It has played a crucial role in the Silk Road trade and cultural exchange between China and Central Asia.

In Chinese philosophy, the idea of 疆 is sometimes used metaphorically to discuss the limits of knowledge or personal growth. For example, the phrase 学无止境 (xué wú zhǐ jìng) can be interpreted as "learning has no boundaries."

The character 疆 itself is visually interesting as it contains the characters for "field" (田) repeated three times, suggesting multiple fields or areas that need to be bounded or defined.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 疆 is quite complex, but you can break it down into parts to make it easier to remember. It consists of 弓 (gōng, bow) at the top left, followed by three 田 (tián, field) characters in the middle, and 土 (tǔ, earth/soil) at the bottom.

One way to remember 疆 is to think of it as "fields (田) with boundaries marked by bows (弓) on the earth (土)." This connects the visual elements of the character with its meaning of "boundary" or "territory."

Another helpful mnemonic: Imagine a map showing different fields (田) separated by boundaries, with a bow (弓) used to mark the borders on the earth (土). This image can help you recall both the structure and meaning of the character.