This is the 2840th most frequent French word.
deçà
"Deçà" means "on this side of" or "here."
The word 'deçà' is used here to specify a location closer to the speaker, contrasting with 'delà' which indicates farther away.
Il regardait tantôt deçà, tantôt delà.
He looked now here, now there.
In this usage, 'deçà' conveys a metaphorical position, describing something slightly accessible or understandable.
Ce qui est juste deçà de notre compréhension reste un mystère.
What is just below our understanding remains a mystery.
In this sentence, 'deçà' indicates a location relative to an established landmark, referring to this side of the mountains.