常规武器 (cháng guī wǔ qì) — conventional weapons

Definition

Conventional weapons — all weapons that are not nuclear, chemical, or biological. Distinguished from 核武器 (nuclear weapons) in arms-control and military discussions.

noun
conventional weapons

Examples

  • 常规武器。
    Zhè ge guó jiā zhī shǐ yòng cháng guī wǔ qì.
    This country only uses conventional weapons.
  • 常规武器。
    Gāi tiáo yuē jìn zhǐ shǐ yòng cháng guī wǔ qì.
    The treaty bans the use of conventional weapons.
  • 常规武器，。
    cháng guī wǔ qì Réng rán fēi cháng wēi xiǎn, xū yào yán gé kòng zhì.
    Conventional weapons are still very dangerous and need strict control.

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.

常规conventional
常chángregular规guīrule
偏正Modifier + head
武器weapons
武wǔmartial器qìinstrument
偏正Modifier + head

常 means regular and 规 means rule; 常规 describes conventional, and 武器 means weapons.

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
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng常cháng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

常 pairs 巾, a cloth, with 尚 as a sound part; the form originally referred to a lower garment.

Open 常 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 規; 规 is its simplified writing.

  • 夫夫fūhusband
  • 見見jiànsee

The simplified 规 is a shorthand; the traditional form 規 shows a cross-shaped compass in its early drawing, and its later form uses 夫 and 見.

Open 规 →

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

武 puts 戈 (dagger-axe) above 止 (foot/to walk), showing an army going on an expedition.

Open 武 →

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

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.

Open 器 →

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