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成群结队 (chéng qún jié duì) — in groups; in large numbers; as a crowd

Definition

An idiom meaning 'in large groups / in crowds' — emphasizes many people or animals moving together as a mass. Functions as an adverbial, often paired with 地 before a verb (e.g., 成群结队地走).

phrase
in groupsin large numbersas a crowd

Examples

  • ，成群结队。
    Chūn tiān dào le, rén men chéng qún jié duì dì qù gōng yuán shǎng huā.
    Spring has arrived; people go to the park in groups to enjoy the flowers.
  • 成群结队。
    Dà yàn chéng qún jié duì dì xiàng nán fāng fēi qù.
    Wild geese fly south in large flocks.
  • ，成群结队。
    Fàng xué hòu, hái zi men chéng qún jié duì dì zǒu chū xiào mén.
    After school, the children walked out of the school gate in groups.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

成群form groups
成chéngform群qúngroup
动宾Verb + object
结队form teams
结jiéform队duìteam
动宾Verb + object

'成' and '结' both mean form, while '群' and '队' mean groups, giving the sense of gathering in large numbers.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
君
君jūn群
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

群 pairs 羊, a sheep, to point to a herd or group, with 君 giving the sound.

Open 群 →

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 結; 结 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
吉
吉jí結jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 結 pairs 糸 with 吉; 吉 gives the sound, and 糸 relates to the meaning. The simplified 结 is a later shorthand.

Open 结 →

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 隊; 队 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒸
㒸㒸隊duì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隊 has 阜 as the meaning part and 㒸 as the sound part.

Open 队 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set Phrases

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