Definition

Noun: * Border region, frontier, borderland: A geographical area located at or near the boundary between two countries or territories. It often implies a remote or sparsely populated area that marks the edge of a nation's territory.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Quân đội được cử đến canh giữ vùng biên cảnh. (The army was sent to guard the border region.)
  • Cuộc sống ở biên cảnh thường rất khó khăn. (Life in the borderlands is often very difficult.)
  • Họ đã sống nhiều đời ở vùng biên cảnh phía Bắc. (Their family has lived for generations in the northern frontier.)

Advanced Usage Notes

• Historical/Literary Usage: "Biên cảnh" is considered a somewhat classical or literary term in modern Vietnamese. In contemporary administrative and common language, "biên giới" (border/boundary) is more frequently used to refer to the precise line, while "vùng biên giới" (border area) is used for the region.
• Connotation: The word can carry connotations of remoteness, strategic importance, and a sense of being the outer limit or periphery of a country's core territory.

Variants and Related Words

• Biên giới (n): Border, boundary. The more common modern term for the dividing line between countries.
• Biên thùy (n): Frontier, border region. A synonym with a similarly classical tone.
• Vùng biên (n): Border area. A modern, shortened form.
• Biên phòng (n): Border guard, border defense.

Synonyms

• Vùng biên giới: Border area.
• Biên thùy: Frontier.
• Khu vực biên giới: Border zone.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Giữ yên biên cảnh: To keep the frontier peaceful/secure.
  • Binh lính có nhiệm vụ giữ yên biên cảnh. (The soldiers have the duty to keep the frontier secure.)

1. (cũ) như biên giới