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侵略 (qīn lüè) — to invade (a country or territory) by armed force

Definition

侵略 (qīnlüè) means to invade a country with armed force, focusing on the act of aggression itself. More specific than 入侵, which is broader (territories, systems, environments).

verb
to invade (a country or territory) by armed force

Examples

  • 侵略。
    Nà ge guó jiā céng jīng bèi qīn lüè guò.
    That country was once invaded.
  • 侵略。
    Wǒ men jiān jué fǎn duì rèn hé xíng shì de qīn lüè.
    We firmly oppose any form of invasion.
  • 侵略，。
    Rú guǒ bié guó qīn lüè wǒ men, wǒ men huì quán lì dǐ kàng.
    If another country invades us, we will resist with all our might.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

侵qīninvade
略lüèplunder

侵 invades and 略 plunders, together meaning armed invasion.

Characters in this word

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

侵 combines 人 (person), 帚 (broom), and 又 (hand) into the image of a person with a broom in hand.

Open 侵 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè略lüè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

略 combines 田 (field) with 各 for sound; the described idea is walking around a field to outline it.

Open 略 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5Military & Defense

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