局

侷/跼
jú
口 + 尸 + 𠃌
HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

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

Etymology

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

About

局 is a phonosemantic compound, with 尸 (a person sitting or crouching) providing the meaning and 句 indicating the sound. Its earliest sense was "bent" or "curved". This original meaning was later replaced through phonetic loan: the character came to represent a flat board for playing games like chess, emphasizing a restricted, rule-defined space. From this notion of a bounded area, its usage expanded to signify any specific situation, a gathering for a shared professional task, or an administrative office, hence the modern meanings of "situation", "office", and "bureau".

Example Sentences Hide

我去邮局寄信。

Wǒ qù yóujú jì xìn.

I go to the post office to mail a letter.

这个局面很复杂。

Zhège júmiàn hěn fùzá.

This situation is very complex.

他是公安局的局长。

Tā shì gōng'ānjú de júzhǎng.

He is the director of the public security bureau.

不要局限于旧观念。

Bùyào júxiàn yú jiù guānniàn.

Don't be limited by old ideas.

局势正在逐渐稳定。

Júshì zhèngzài zhújiàn wěndìng.

The situation is gradually stabilizing.

房间显得有点局促。

Fángjiān xiǎnde yǒudiǎn júcù.

The room feels a bit cramped.

局外人很难理解内情。

Júwàirén hěn nán lǐjiě nèiqíng.

Outsiders find it hard to understand the inside story.

这场棋局他布局巧妙。

Zhè chǎng qíjú tā bùjú qiǎomiào.

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

Related Characters

Composed characters:

锔 跼 侷 挶 焗 鋦

Component: 口

中 和 可 后 如 同 只 知 高 问 向 或 加 合

Component: 尸

展 属 尼 居 层 户 屋 尾 尸 届 屈 卢 履 尿

Component: 𠃌

成 方 力 司 万 节 卫 习 刀 幻 刁 疖

Example Words

局长 结局 饭局 骗局 布局 局限 僵局 全局 公安局 出局 分局 大局 定局 局势 局部 局限于 局面 平局 搅局 政治局 格局 棋局 残局 民政局