Chinese Character: 局
1. Character Basics
Radical: 尸/shī (表示人)
Stroke Count: 7
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jú (second tone)
3. Meaning
bureau, office, game, situation, chessboard, limited area, part of body
4. Common Words
- 局面 (jú miàn) - situation, aspect
- 局长 (jú zhǎng) - bureau chief, director
- 局部 (jú bù) - part, partial, local
- 棋局 (qí jú) - chess game
- 结局 (jié jú) - ending, outcome
- 邮局 (yóu jú) - post office
5. Grammar & Usage
As a noun: 这家局很大 (zhè jiā jú hěn dà) - This office is very big
In compound words: 局部地区 (jú bù dì qū) - local area
In idiomatic expressions: 当局者迷，旁观者清 (the players in the game are confused, while the spectators see clearly)
Common structure: 局 + 长/员/部
Note: Often used in official titles and to describe situations
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, "局" often refers to the structure of official organizations
The concept of "局" extends beyond physical places to abstract situations
In traditional Chinese chess, "棋局" (qí jú) represents both the board and the game
Chinese idioms containing "局" often deal with strategy and perception
The character is still widely used in modern Chinese for government agencies
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 这个局面很复杂。
Pinyin: Zhè ge jú miàn hěn fù zá.
Translation: This situation is very complicated.
8. Memory Tips
The character 局 consists of 尸 (shī - human form) and 口 (kǒu - mouth/area)
Think of "people (尸) gathered around a table (口) making decisions"
The character has 7 strokes
Remember common words like 邮局 (post office) and 局长 (director)
The radical 尸 appears in characters related to human form or position