侷 meaning and stroke order
Narrow, cramped, confined
How to write 侷, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 5
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- 9
Meaning of 侷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- narrow
How 侷 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 局 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 侷
A person 亻 squeezed into a 局 (jú), a small enclosed space, feels cramped and confined. The 局 part also gives the sound jú.
侷 is a variant form of 局 used in the sense of narrow or confined, mainly seen in traditional texts such as 侷促 (júcù, cramped; ill at ease) and 侷限 (júxiàn, to limit). In mainland simplified Chinese these words are normally written with 局. Example: 他在陌生人面前有點侷促。(Tā zài mòshēngrén miànqián yǒudiǎn júcù.) He feels a bit ill at ease around strangers.
Common mistake: Learners often think 侷 and 局 are always interchangeable. 侷 only covers the cramped or limited sense, so you cannot write 侷 for 局 in words like 郵局 (yóujú, post office) or 一局棋 (yī jú qí, a game of chess).
Common words with 侷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 侷限 | júxiàn | to limit; to confine | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 侷
How many strokes are in 侷?
侷 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 侷 mean?
侷 (jú) means narrow, cramped, confined. A common word with it is 局限 (júxiàn), meaning "to limit; to confine".
How do you pronounce 侷?
侷 is pronounced jú, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 侷?
The radical of 侷 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 侷 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 侷?
侷 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 局, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Should I write 侷限 or 局限?
In mainland China and in most simplified texts, write 局限 (júxiàn). 侷限 appears mostly in Taiwan and in older traditional writing, and both mean to limit or confine.
Can 侷促 describe feelings as well as space?
Yes. 侷促 can describe a cramped physical space, but it is also very often used for a person feeling awkward, uneasy, or not relaxed in a situation.