Chinese word

境遇

Pronunciation

Pinyinjìng yù

Meaning

  • nouncircumstances

Example

你了解她的境遇吗？nǐ liáo jiě tā de jìng yù ma

Do you know her circumstances?

Illustration for 境遇 (circumstances)

More examples

很多公益项目致力于改善贫困群体的境遇。hěn duō gōng yì xiàng mù zhì lì yú gǎi shàn pín kùn qún tǐ de jìng yù

Many public welfare projects work to improve the circumstances of people living in poverty.

Core concept

A person's place in life as shaped by surrounding conditions and by how others treat them.

Common phrases

  • 改善境遇gǎi shàn jìng yù

    improve one's circumstances

  • 贫困的境遇pín kùn de jìng yù

    poor circumstances

  • 优越的境遇yōu yuè de jìng yù

    privileged circumstances

Similar words

处境chǔ jìng: A person's current position, including its advantages, disadvantages, or difficulties.
情况qíng kuàng: The actual state or details of something in a particular situation.
环境huán jìng: The natural and social conditions surrounding and affecting people or groups.
生活状况shēng huó zhuàng kuàng: The concrete conditions of daily life, such as income, housing, and basic needs.

Definition in Chinese

境遇 指个人在社会生活中所处的环境以及他人对待的情况，反映生活条件和遭遇的好坏。jìng yù zhǐ gè rén zài shè huì shēng huó zhōng suǒ chù de huán jìng yǐ jí tā rén duì dài de qíng kuàng fǎn yìng shēng huó tiáo jiàn hé zāo yù de hǎo huài

Word origin

境 (jìng, "boundary or setting") + 遇 (yù, "encounter or treatment") combines a person's surrounding situation with what happens to them.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this noun sounds relatively formal and often appears in serious descriptions of a person's life situation rather than casual small talk.

Other meanings

  • living conditionsnoun
  • environmentnoun

Opposites

  • 顺境shùn jìngfavorable circumstancesnoun
  • 逆境nì jìngadverse circumstancesnoun

Word lists with this word