涯 (yá) - shore, bank & limit, boundary

涯Tone 2

yá ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

涯 · yá

shore, bank;

limit, boundary;

margin;

figuratively, the extent or scope of something, such as knowledge or life.

shore, banklimit, boundarymargin

Usage highlights

horizoncareerboundlessshorelife's journeyworld's edge

Synonyms

  • 岸— shore, bank
  • 边— edge, side
  • 界— boundary, limit

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The end of the world (天涯).
  • The boundless sea (无涯的海洋).
  • The shore of life (生涯的涯岸).
  • There is no shore to learning (学海无涯).

Collocations

  • horizon(天涯)
  • career(生涯)
  • boundless(无涯)
  • shore(涯岸)
  • life's journey(生涯)
  • world's edge(天涯海角)

Idioms

  • The four corners of the world(天涯海角)
  • Boundless learning(学海无涯)
  • Life is finite, knowledge is infinite(生也有涯，知也无涯)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese philosophy to denote limits or boundaries, especially in contrast to the infinite.
  • Commonly appears in poetry and literature to evoke a sense of distance, journey, or the vast unknown.
  • Frequently paired with 海 (sea) to form 天涯海角, symbolizing the remotest corners of the earth.

FAQ