Definition
境界 (jìngjiè) primarily means 'realm, level' of spiritual, artistic, or intellectual attainment — a figurative sense that 边界 (biānjiè, 'geographical border') and 界限 (jièxiàn, 'dividing line') do not share. Its literal 'boundary' sense overlaps with 边界 and 边境 (biānjìng, 'frontier'), but 境界 is broader. Unlike 界 (jiè), a suffix in words like 世界, 境界 is a standalone noun.
noun
boundaryborder (literal)realmlevel (of spiritual, artistic, or intellectual attainment)statestage (of development or thought)
Easily confused
- 警戒jǐng jièsound-aliketo warn, to alert
Examples
- 境界。Zhè tiáo hé shì liǎng guó zhī jiān de zìrán jìng jiè.This river is the natural boundary between the two countries.
- 境界。Tā de shūfǎ yǐjīng dádào le hěn gāo de yìshù jìng jiè.His calligraphy has reached a very high artistic realm.
- 境界。Yí ge rén de sīxiǎng jìng jiè juédìng le tā kàn wèntí de gāodù.A person's level of thinking determines the height from which they view problems.
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