正步 (zhèng bù) — goose step (military marching style)

Definition

noun
goose step (military marching style)

Examples

  • 正步。
    Shì bīng men zhèng zài cāo chǎng shàng liàn xí zhèng bù.
    The soldiers are practicing the goose step on the drill ground.
  • ,正步。
    Guó qìng yuè bīng shí, fāng duì zhěng qí dì tī zhe zhèng bù.
    During the National Day parade, the formations marched in neat goose steps.
  • 正步。
    Tī zhèng bù xū yào hěn qiáng de tuǐ bù lì liàng hé píng héng gǎn.
    Performing the goose step requires strong leg strength and a sense of balance.

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.

正zhèngupright
步bùstep

A 步 made 正 and stiff is the parade step.

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →

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

步 uses two 止 (foot) forms, one reversed, to show one foot stepping in front of the other.

Open 步 →

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