情报站 (qíng bào zhàn) — intelligence station; information-gathering post; (military) intelligence post or outpost

Definition

noun
intelligence stationinformation-gathering post(military) intelligence post or outpost

Examples

  • 情报站。
    Zhè ge qíng bào zhàn fù zé shōu jí biān jìng dì qū de jūn shì qing bào.
    This intelligence station is responsible for collecting military intelligence in the border area.
  • 情报站。
    Jǐng fāng zài shì qū shè lì le yí gè lín shí qíng bào zhàn.
    The police set up a temporary intelligence post in the city center.
  • 情报站。
    Wǎng luò qíng bào zhàn měi tiān cóng gōng kāi lái yuán zhěng lǐ dà liàng xìn xī.
    The online intelligence station organizes a large amount of information from open sources every day.

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.

情报intelligence
情qíngcircumstances报bàoreport
偏正Modifier + head
站zhànstation

“情报” (intelligence report) and “站” (station) denote a station for intelligence.

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng情qíng
Same sound today

情 shows 心 (heart) beside 青, which gives the sound. The heart part points to feelings and inner states.

Open 情 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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
立立lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn站zhàn
Same sound today

站 has 立 on the left and 占 on the right; 立 relates to standing, and 占 gives the sound.

Open 站 →

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