定位

• Pinyin: dìng wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 定 = 宀 (roof) + 正 (correct) — to fix; 位 = 亻(person) + 立 (to stand) — position where a person stands

Meaning

Positioning; to locate; to position. Can refer to GPS location, market positioning, or determining one's role/identity.

Widely used in technology (GPS定位), business (市场定位, brand positioning), and self-development (自我定位). The word has evolved from purely physical location to include abstract concepts of determining one's place or role in society, career, or market.

Examples

1. 打开手机定位功能，导航软件才能正常使用。 Turn on the phone's location feature so the navigation app can work properly.
2. 这个品牌的定位是年轻、时尚的都市白领。 This brand's positioning is toward young, fashionable urban white-collar workers.
3. 职业规划首先要做好自我定位，了解自己的优势和不足。 Career planning starts with proper self-positioning — understanding your strengths and weaknesses.

Usage Guide

Context: technology, business, career

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 这款APP可以实时定位，找人很方便。(This app can locate in real-time, making it easy to find people.)
• 产品定位不清晰，消费者不知道它是给谁用的。(The product positioning is unclear; consumers don't know who it's for.)

Don't Say

• 把定位当作'决定位置'的简单组合理解 (定位 has evolved beyond just 'determining location' — in business it means strategic positioning, not just physical placement)

Origin & History

Compound of 定 (to fix, to determine) + 位 (position, location). Originally a surveying term that expanded to business and personal development contexts.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal