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Kotomora

境

boundary, border, region

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 500Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • キョウ
  • ケイ

Kun'yomi

  • さかい

Nanori

  • さか
  • じき

Meaning

境 centers on a dividing line or edge that separates areas: a boundary, border, or the region on one side of that line.

Most common words using 境

20 of 314
  • 環境かんきょう
    N3

    environment; surroundings; circumstances

  • 国境こっきょう
    N3

    border (between countries); national border

  • 境界きょうかい
    N2

    boundary; border; limit; bounds; frontier

  • 境さかい
    N3

    border; boundary

  • 心境しんきょう
    N1

    state of mind; mental state; mental attitude

  • 境内けいだい
    N1

    grounds (esp. of shrines and temples); compound; churchyard; precincts

  • 境遇きょうぐう
    N1

    one's circumstances; environment; situation (in life)

  • 環境省かんきょうしょう

    Ministry of the Environment

  • 境地きょうち

    state (of mind); mental state; emotional condition

  • 秘境ひきょう

    unexplored region; secluded region; place off the beaten track

  • 境目さかいめ

    borderline; boundary

  • 辺境へんきょう

    remote region; outlying district; border district; frontier

  • 苦境くきょう

    difficult situation; adverse circumstances; predicament; trouble; dilemma; distress

  • 逆境ぎゃっきょう
    N1

    adverse circumstances; unfortunate situation; adversity

  • 魔境まきょう

    demon-infested place

  • 県境けんざかい

    prefectural border; prefectural boundary

  • 越境えっきょう

    crossing a border (illegally); border violation; border transgression

  • 見境みさかい

    distinction; discrimination

  • 住環境じゅうかんきょう

    living environment; habitat

  • 佳境かきょう

    most interesting part (of a story); climax; good part

Explore all words using 境 →

Study

Etymology

境 combines 土 (earth, ground) with 竟, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of ending or limit, together suggesting an earthen boundary.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side is earth 土, and the right side 竟 looks like a finished line or limit. Picture a dirt mound marking the end of one region and the start of another: 境 is the boundary.

Reading mnemonic

For キョウ, imagine a border guard shouting 'KYOU!' (like 'kyo') when you reach the boundary: KYOU -> キョウ, and the earth marks the line.