Learn a Chinese Character - 境

1. Character Basics

Radical: 土/tǔ (earth, soil)

Stroke Count: 14

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jìng (fourth tone)

3. Meaning

boundary, territory, condition, state

4. Common Words

• 环境 (huán jìng) - environment
• 境界 (jìng jiè) - state, realm, level
• 边境 (biān jìng) - border, frontier
• 处境 (chǔ jìng) - situation, circumstances
• 意境 (yì jìng) - artistic conception
• 入境 (rù jìng) - enter a country, immigrate

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Mainly used as a noun

Usage Patterns:

• 作为名词: 环境 (environment); 境界 (state)
• 与其他字组合: 边境 (border); 处境 (situation)
• 成语用法: 身临其境 (shēn lín qí jìng) - to be personally on the scene

Note: "境" is commonly used in contexts related to boundaries, territories, conditions, and states.

6. Cultural Background

Philosophical Significance: In Chinese philosophy, especially Taoism and Buddhism, "境" (state, realm) often refers to a spiritual or mental state.

Artistic Expression: In traditional Chinese art, particularly poetry and painting, "意境" (artistic conception) is a key concept referring to the emotional or spiritual atmosphere conveyed by a work of art.

Geographic and Political: Throughout Chinese history, defining and defending territorial boundaries ("边境") has been important.

Modern Usage: Today, "境" is widely used in everyday language, especially in terms like "环境" (environment) and "处境" (situation).

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Character Breakdown: The character "境" consists of "土" (tǔ, earth, soil) on the left and "竟" (jìng, actually, unexpectedly) on the right. Together, they can be thought of as "a boundary marked on the earth" or "the end (竟) of a territory (土)".

Mnemonic Device: Imagine the left part "土" as the earth or ground, and the right part "竟" as marking the end or boundary of a territory.

Word Association: Connect "境" with the common word "环境" (huán jìng - environment) to help remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Sound-Alike Memory: The pronunciation "jìng" is similar to other characters like "镜" (jìng, mirror), "静" (jìng, quiet), "净" (jìng, clean), "竞" (jìng, compete), "竟" (jìng, unexpectedly), and "敬" (jìng, respect), but the meanings are different, so be careful not to confuse them.