TongTong
Sign in

三军 (sān jūn) — the three armed services (army, navy, air force); (historical) the three divisions of an army

Definition

Literally 'three armies,' it refers to a country's combined armed forces (army, navy, air force), and historically to the three divisions of an ancient Chinese army. Often used in military or ceremonial contexts.

noun
the three armed services (army, navy, air force)(historical) the three divisions of an army

Examples

  • 三军、。
    Xiàn dài sān jūn bāo kuò lù jūn, hǎi jūn hé kōng jūn.
    The modern armed forces include the army, navy, and air force.
  • 三军。
    Zhè wèi jiāng jūn zhǐ huī sān jūn zuò zhàn.
    This general commanded the three armed services in battle.
  • ，三军、、。
    Zài gǔ dài, sān jūn zhǐ de shì shàng, zhōng, xià sān jūn.
    In ancient times, the three armies referred to the upper, middle, and lower divisions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

三sānthree
军jūnarmy

三 counts the forces, and 军 names the military body.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

三 is drawn as three parallel strokes, like 一 with one stroke and 二 with two.

Open 三 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軍; 军 is its simplified writing.

  • 車車jūcart; chariot
  • 勹勹bāoto surround

In the traditional form 軍, 車 shows the chariot sense, while the part now written 勹 is a sound part, not the 'surround' 勹. Simplified 军 is a later shorthand.

Open 军 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.