foreign land; borrowed soil
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
a foreign land; a place where one sojourns
literaryA literary term often used in formal writing or classical contexts to describe a place of temporary residence, distinct from one's hometown. Often associated with feelings of displacement or being a traveler.
He wandered all his life and grew old in a foreign land.
Having sojourned in a foreign land for many years, he still hasn't lost his hometown accent.
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This ancient document records the homesickness people felt when living in foreign lands.
noun
borrowed soil; soil brought from elsewhere to improve local land
technicalA specialized term in agriculture, horticulture, or land reclamation. It refers to soil imported from another location to amend and improve the quality of the native soil, often for growing specific plants or repairing land.
To grow peonies well, the gardener brought in borrowed soil from Shandong.
After being improved with borrowed soil, this saline-alkali land can now grow crops.
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The construction of some imperial gardens in ancient times involved the heavy use of imported soil.