放哨 (fàng shào) — to stand sentry, to be on guard duty | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A military-style phrase meaning to stand sentry or keep watch. The verb splits: 放哨 → 放了/放了一夜哨; an object goes between 放 and 哨, never before 放哨.

verb

to stand sentryto be on guard duty

Examples

放哨，。
Zhàn shì men lún liú fàng shào, bǎo zhèng yíng dì de ān quán.
The soldiers take turns standing guard to ensure the safety of the camp.
，。
Tā zuó wǎn fàng le yí yè shào, xiàn zài hěn lèi.
He stood guard all night last night and is very tired now.
。
Pái zhǎng ān pái sān gè rén qù fàng shào.
The platoon leader arranged for three people to go on sentry duty.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

放fàngset/place

“放” (set/place) and “哨” (watch) combine to mean placing a watch, i.e. standing on guard.

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.

方攵放

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng放fàng

Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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