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帮会 (bāng huì) — secret society (historical, often with initiation rites); underworld gang; organized crime syndicate

Definition

A historical term for organized secret societies and underworld gangs, especially from late-imperial and Republican-era China (e.g. 洪门, 青帮). Today it mainly appears in history, literature, or crime-fiction contexts.

noun
secret society (historical, often with initiation rites)underworld gangorganized crime syndicate

Examples

  • 帮会，。
    Mín guó shí qī de bāng huì shì lì hěn dà, shèn zhì néng yǐng xiǎng dì fāng zhèng zhì.
    During the Republic of China period, secret societies were so powerful they could even influence local politics.
  • 帮会。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng de shì yí gè bāng huì nèi bù de quán lì dòu zhēng.
    This movie tells the story of a power struggle within a secret society.
  • 帮会。
    Jǐng fāng zuì jìn dǎo huǐ le sān gè dì xià bāng huì.
    The police recently destroyed three underground gangs.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

帮bānggang
会huìsociety

“帮” and “会” both refer to organized groups, together naming a secret society.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 幫; 帮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
帛帛bósilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
封
封fēng幫bāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 帮's traditional form 幫, 帛 (silk) gives the meaning and 封 gives the sound; it originally named the upper part of a shoe.

Open 帮 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →
Appears in
Groups & OrganizationsCrime & Police

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