Definitions

(noun) office; bureau; department
(noun) situation; circumstance
(noun) match; round; set
(adjective) narrow; confined

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "bent, curved". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

The character 局, whose traditional form is structurally identical, is composed of two components: 尸, which here depicts a crouching human body, and 句, which provides both phonetic and semantic value related to bending or curvature. This combination originally conveyed the concept of being bent, constrained, or confined to a particular space. From this physical sense of a bounded area, its meaning extended metaphorically to denote an administrative office or bureau, an organizational unit operating within defined parameters. Over time, the semantic range broadened further to encompass the idea of an overall situation or set of circumstances, conceptually another form of a defined framework, and by extension, to mean a single match or round in a game.

Example Sentences Hide

我去邮寄信。

Wǒ qù yóujú jì xìn.

I go to the post office to mail a letter.

这个面很复杂。

Zhège júmiàn hěn fùzá.

This situation is very complex.

他是公安长。

Tā shì gōng'ānjú de júzhǎng.

He is the director of the public security bureau.

不要限于旧观念。

Bùyào júxiàn yú jiù guānniàn.

Don't be limited by old ideas.

势正在逐渐稳定。

Júshì zhèngzài zhújiàn wěndìng.

The situation is gradually stabilizing.

房间显得有点促。

Fángjiān xiǎnde yǒudiǎn júcù.

The room feels a bit cramped.

外人很难理解内情。

Júwàirén hěn nán lǐjiě nèiqíng.

Outsiders find it hard to understand the inside story.

这场棋他布巧妙。

Zhè chǎng qíjú tā bùjú qiǎomiào.

In this chess game, he set up the pieces cleverly.