安营扎寨 (ān yíng zhā zhài) — to pitch camp; to set up a temporary base (literal or figurative)

Definition

Literally 'pitch camp and stake out a fort' — used for armies, expedition teams, or (figuratively) a company setting up a temporary base. The 第二 example extends it to a business 'setting up shop' in a new place.

idiom
to pitch campto set up a temporary base (literal or figurative)

Examples

  • 安营扎寨，。
    Jūn duì zài hé biān ān yíng zhā zhài, zhǔn bèi guò yè.
    The army pitched camp by the river, preparing to stay overnight.
  • 安营扎寨，。
    Zhè ge gōng sī zài shàng hǎi ān yíng zhā zhài, kāi shǐ le xīn de yè wù.
    This company set up a temporary base in Shanghai and started new business.
  • 安营扎寨，。
    Dēng shān duì zài shān shàng ān yíng zhā zhài, děng dài tiān qì hǎo zhuǎn.
    The mountaineering team set up camp on the mountain, waiting for the weather to improve.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

安营pitch camp
安ānsettle营yíngcamp
动宾Verb + object
扎寨set up stockade
扎zhāset up寨zhàistockade
动宾Verb + object

安营 means putting up camp, and 扎寨 means setting up a stockade.

Characters in this word

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →

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 營; 营 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宮宮gōngpalace
Sound part声符shēngfú
熒
熒yíng營yíng
Same sound today

The traditional form 營 pairs 宮 (palace) with 熒 as a sound part, depicting a person working all night with a light on his house; the simplified 营 is a later abbreviation.

Open 营 →

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
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
乙
乙yǐ扎zhā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

扎 is built from 手 (hand) and 乙, which gives the sound.

Open 扎 →

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mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡨄
𡨄𡨄寨zhài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

寨 pairs 木 (wood) with 𡨄, which gives the sound; the wood part shows the meaning is related to wood.

Open 寨 →

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