伏击 (fú jī) — (verb) to ambush; (noun) an ambush | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

伏击 is a military term meaning to ambush / an ambush — the verb focuses on the act of attacking from a hidden position. Distinct from 袭击 (xíjí), which is a broader assault, not necessarily from hiding.

verb

to ambush

noun

an ambush

Examples

伏击。
Dí jūn zài shù lín lǐ shè xià le fú jī.
The enemy set up an ambush in the woods.
伏击。
Yóu jī duì fú jī le dí rén de yùn shū duì.
The guerrilla ambushed the enemy's convoy.
伏击。
Tā men jì huà zài lí míng shí fēn fā dòng fú jī.
They planned to launch an ambush at dawn.

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.

伏fúlie in wait

击jīstrike

伏 means lie in wait and 击 means strike, so together they mean ambush.

Characters in this word

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

人人rénperson
犬犬quǎndog

伏 combines 人 (person) and 犬 (dog), as a dog beside a person or a person taking a dog's low posture, to show lying prostrate.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 擊; 击 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

毄

毄jī擊jī

Same sound today

The traditional form 擊 has 手 (hand) and 毄; 毄 gives the sound and also points to striking, while the simplified 击 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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