境(さかい)

さかい
noun
boundary, border
1. boundary, border, dividing line
The line or point that separates two areas or things.
県(けん)境(ざかい)
Prefectural border.
[Note: When used as suffix, read ざかい]
生(い)き死(し)にの境(さかい)
The boundary between life and death.
境(さかい)を越(こ)える。
To cross the boundary.
彼(かれ)らの家(いえ)は境(さかい)を接(せっ)しているので、毎日(まいにち)顔(かお)を合(あ)わせる。
Their houses share a boundary, so they see each other every day.

境(さかい) refers to a boundary or dividing line between areas, states, or concepts — both physical and abstract.

READING NOTE:
As a standalone word: さかい. As a suffix in compounds: often voiced to ざかい (県(けん)境(ざかい), 国(くに)境(ざかい)).

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 県(けん)境(ざかい): prefectural border
  • 国(くに)境(ざかい): national border
  • 境(さかい)目(め): borderline, turning point
  • 〜を境(さかい)に: from ~ onwards, since ~
  • 生(い)き死(し)にの境(さかい): the boundary between life and death

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 境界(きょうかい): boundary (more formal/technical)
  • 国境(こっきょう): national border (Sino-Japanese reading)
  • 限界(げんかい): limit, boundary (of capability)

The pattern 〜を境(さかい)に is commonly used to mark a turning point: 結婚(けっこん)を境(さかい)に生活(せいかつ)が変(か)わった (My life changed after marriage).

Related Words

Synonym: 境界(きょうかい) (boundary (formal))
general
Added 2026.1.11 17:56 · Revised 2026.4.7 12:12
02500/02822_sakai