境(さかい)

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

Pronunciation

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).