bīn
verb #95,800

Meanings

  1. 1 to be on the verge of; to be close to
  2. 2 to border on (water)

Examples

HSK 7-9
Xǔduō yěshēng dòngwù bīnlín mièjué.
Many wild animals are on the brink of extinction.
HSK 7-9
Dàxióngmāo céngjīng shì bīnwēi wùzhǒng.
The giant panda was once an endangered species.

Tips

usage
means to be right at the edge of something, usually bad. Common words: 濒临 (to be on the verge of) and 濒危 (endangered).

Components

radical
shuǐ
water
is the water radical in left-side form. first meant standing right at the water's edge, then 'on the brink of' anything.
phonetic
pín
frequent; repeatedly
supplies the sound element (near bīn) and carries no meaning here; the two characters share this right-side shape and a related origin at a riverbank.

Stroke Order

bīn