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大棒 (dà bàng) — big stick (literal); means of intimidation (figurative, as in 'big stick diplomacy')

Definition

Used mostly in the fixed phrase 大棒政策 ("big stick policy") or with 胡萝卜 (carrot and stick) to mean a threat or coercive force. Literally just a large stick.

noun
big stick (literal)means of intimidation (figurative, as in 'big stick diplomacy')
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 大棒。
    Měi guó zhèng fǔ jīng cháng shǐ yòng dà bàng zhèng cè lái wēi xié qí tā guó jiā.
    The U.S. government often uses the big stick policy to threaten other countries.
  • 大棒，。
    Tā shǒu lǐ ná zhe yì gēn dà bàng, kàn qǐ lái hěn xià rén.
    He held a big stick in his hand, looking very scary.
  • 。
    Hú luó bo jiā dà bàng shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de tán pàn cè lüè.
    The carrot and stick is a common negotiation tactic.

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.

大dàbig
棒bàngstick

大 (big) and 棒 (stick) combine to suggest a big stick used for intimidation.

Characters in this word

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

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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
木木mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
奉
奉fèng棒bàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

棒 combines 木 (wood) with 奉, which gives the sound, to write a wooden club.

Open 棒 →
Appears in
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