境・界|さかいsakai[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. nounborder; boundaryusu. さかい
   彼かれは生死せいしの境さかいをさ迷まよった。↗

   He hovered between life and death.
2. nounturning point; watershedoften ...を～に
3. nounarea; region; spot; space; environmentusu. きょう
4. nounpsychological state; mental stateusu. きょう
5. noun, Buddhismcognitive object; something perceptible by the sense organs or mind

• Synonym境界きょうかいWrittenWritten/formal prose for a boundary or limit, common in legal and academic writing; 「境」 is more colloquial and can also mean a turning point.
• Synonym境目さかいめNeutralA dividing point or watershed, as in 「生死の境目」; it stresses the point where things split more than 「境」 does.
• SynonymボーダーCasualColloquial loanword for a border or boundary, but in everyday speech it usually means striped fabric or clothing.
• SynonymボーダーラインCasualColloquial loanword for a passing or critical line, such as a cutoff score, with the focus on a standard.
• Synonym境界線きょうかいせんWrittenThe line that marks a boundary, with the focus on the line itself, such as a line drawn on a map.
• Synonym地境じざかいWrittenA boundary between parcels of land, with the focus on property lines.
• Synonym地界ちかいWrittenRare even in writing; means a land boundary, and can also mean the earthly, human world.
• SynonymバウンダリーCasualA loanword used mainly in psychology for personal or psychological boundaries between people, rather than the divide between places that 「境」 marks.
• Related限界げんかいNeutralThe limit of ability or endurance, as in 「体力の限界」; 「境」 is the line dividing two sides.
• Related縁ふちNeutralThe edge of an object, such as a cup rim or glasses frame; 「境」 divides two areas.
• Related端はしNeutralThe end or edge of an object, like a roadside or table corner, with no sense of a dividing line.
• RelatedエッジCasualColloquial loanword for an edge or sharp corner, also a sharp, cutting quality, as in 「エッジが効く」.
• RelatedリミットCasualColloquial loanword for a deadline or upper limit, as in 「タイムリミット」, stressing what must not be exceeded.
• Related境域きょういきWrittenWritten/formal prose for a boundary or domain, used mainly as an academic term.

Use 「境」 for the divide between two places or two states. In formal writing choose 「境界」; for the dividing point, 「境目」; for the limits of ability, 「限界」; for the edges of objects, 「縁」 or 「端」; for a passing line, 「ボーダーライン」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. (さかい)境界きょうかい、分かれ目わかれめ。
2. (さかい)茨城県いばらきけん南西部なんせいぶ、猿島郡さしまぐんの町まち。
3. (さかい)群馬県ぐんまけん南東部なんとうぶ、佐波郡さわぐんの町まち。