制高点 (zhì gāo diǎn) — commanding height; high ground (both literal military and figurative strategic/moral)

Definition

A military term for ‘commanding height’ — the high ground that controls the area below. Used figuratively for a dominant position in competition or debate (the moral high ground).

noun
commanding heighthigh ground (both literal military and figurative strategic/moral)

Examples

  • 制高点。
    Jūn duì xùn sù zhàn lǐng le zhì gāo diǎn.
    The army quickly occupied the commanding height.
  • ，制高点。
    Zài jì shù jìng zhēng zhōng, wǒ men bì xū qiǎng zhàn zhì gāo diǎn.
    In technological competition, we must seize the commanding height.
  • 制高点。
    Tā zài biàn lùn zhōng zhàn jù le dào dé zhì gāo diǎn.
    He occupied the moral high ground in the debate.

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.

制高command high
制zhìcontrol高gāohigh
动宾Verb + object
点diǎnpoint

制高 (commanding high) and 点 (point) together mean a point that commands high ground.

Characters in this word

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

The form 制 pairs 朱 (tree) with 刀 (knife), showing the act of cutting a tree.

Open 制 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

高 was drawn as a tall building.

Open 高 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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