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实弹 (shí dàn) — with live ammunition, using live rounds

Definition

A military term meaning 'with live ammunition' (as opposed to blanks or dummy rounds). Used as an adverbial modifier before activities like 射击 ('fire') or 打靶 ('target practice').

adverb
with live ammunitionusing live rounds

Examples

  • 实弹。
    Bù duì zhèng zài jìn xíng shí dàn shè jī xùn liàn.
    The troops are conducting live-fire shooting training.
  • 实弹，。
    Zhè cì yǎn xí quán bù shǐ yòng shí dàn, méi yǒu kōng bāo dàn.
    This exercise uses live ammunition exclusively, no blanks.
  • 实弹，。
    Shì bīng men dì yī cì cān jiā shí dàn dǎ bǎ, dōu hěn jǐn zhāng.
    The soldiers were all nervous for their first live-fire target practice.

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.

实shíreal
弹tánbullet

Real bullets, not blanks, give live ammunition.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

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 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
單
單dān彈tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Open 弹 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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