Meaning of 边境
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- frontier; border
How to use 边境
边境 is a fairly formal noun used for the border area of a country, often in news, travel, and security contexts. It usually refers to the region near the line, not just the line itself. Example: 他们住在中国和越南的边境。(Tāmen zhù zài Zhōngguó hé Yuènán de biānjìng.) They live on the border between China and Vietnam.
边 (biān) means edge or side, as in 旁边 (pángbiān), and 境 (jìng) means territory or region. Put them together and the edge of a country's territory is its border.
Common mistake: Learners often write 境 as 镜 (jìng, mirror) because they sound the same. 境 has the earth radical 土, which fits land and territory, while 镜 has the metal radical 钅.
边境 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
边 biān · side · 5 strokes
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境 jìng · boundary · 14 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 边境.
| 那边 | nàbiān | over there; yonder |
| 这边 | zhèbiān | this side; here |
| 一边 | yībiān | one side; either side |
| 旁边 | pángbiān | side; adjacent place |
| 左边 | zuǒbian | left; the left side |
| 右边 | yòubian | right side; right, to the right |
| 里边 | lǐbian | inside |
| 北边 | běibian | north; north side |
| 外边 | wàibian | outside; outer surface |
| 南边 | nánbian | south; south side |
| 东边 | dōngbian | east; east side |
| 西边 | xībian | west; west side |
Questions about 边境
What does 边境 mean?
边境 (biānjìng) means "frontier; border" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 边境?
边境 is made of 2 characters: 边 (5 strokes), 境 (14 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 边境 an HSK word?
Yes. 边境 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 边境 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 边境 is written 邊境.
What is the difference between 边境 and 边界?
边界 (biānjiè) focuses on the boundary line itself, such as where it is drawn or disputed. 边境 refers more to the border region and the area around it. You might say 边境城市 (border city) but 划定边界 (to demarcate a boundary).
Can I use 边境 for the border between two provinces or the edge of a field?
Usually no. 边境 is mainly used for national borders. For provinces you would say 交界 (jiāojiè) or 省界 (shěngjiè), and for the edge of a field or object you would just use 边 (biān).