边缘

• Pinyin: biān yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 边 = 辶 + 力, side/edge; 缘 = 糸 (silk) + 彖, edge/fate

Meaning

Edge; margin; periphery; brink. The outer limit or boundary of something.

Can refer to physical edges (of objects, areas) or figurative margins (of society, a field of study, a crisis). Often used in discussions of marginalization, critical situations, or border areas.

Examples

1. 他站在悬崖边缘，感到一阵眩晕。 He stood at the edge of the cliff and felt a wave of dizziness.
2. 公司正处于破产的边缘，急需资金注入。 The company is on the brink of bankruptcy and urgently needs capital injection.
3. 边缘群体的权益应该得到更多关注。 The rights of marginalized groups should receive more attention.

Usage Guide

Context: description, analysis

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 城市边缘的房价相对便宜。(Housing prices on the city's outskirts are relatively cheap.)
• 他们的关系已经走到了破裂的边缘。(Their relationship has reached the brink of breaking up.)

Don't Say

• 不要把'边缘'和'边界'混用 (Don't confuse 边缘 with 边界 — 边界 means a clear boundary or border, while 边缘 implies the outer edge or periphery)

Origin & History

Compound of 边 (side, edge) + 缘 (edge, margin), reinforcing the meaning of outer boundary.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal