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征兵 (zhēng bīng) — to conscript; to draft; to recruit (for military service)

Definition

A formal, state-level verb: the government forcibly drafting citizens into military service. Distinguish from 招募 (recruit volunteers) — 征兵 is compulsory, not voluntary.

verb
to conscriptto draftto recruit (for military service)

Examples

  • 征兵。
    Jīn nián guó jiā kāi shǐ zhēng bīng le.
    The country started conscription this year.
  • 。
    Qù nián cūn lǐ zhēng le liǎng cì bīng.
    The village conducted two drafts last year.
  • 征兵。
    Zhèng fǔ xū yào zhēng bīng yǐ bǔ chōng jūn duì.
    The government needs to conscript to replenish the military.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

征zhēngrecruit
兵bīngsoldiers

“征” means to recruit or call up, and “兵” means soldiers, so the action is recruiting soldiers.

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 徵; 征 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 征 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (特征, 象征) it is 徵; in others it is 征.

The story is about the traditional form 徵. It originally meant punishment, from a picture of a knife with tooth-shaped protrusions on its back; later forms kept that sense.

Open 征 →

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

  • 斤斤jīna short axe
  • 廾廾gǒng2 hands

兵 combines 斤, a short axe, with 廾, two hands, showing a pair of hands holding a weapon.

Open 兵 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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