清剿 (qīng jiǎo) — to clean up, to suppress (bandits, enemies)

Definition

A military/political term meaning to wipe out (bandits, rebels, enemy forces) — stronger and more thorough than a simple 'clean up'. Typically used with armed operations against organized opponents.

verb
to clean upto suppress (bandits, enemies)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 清剿。
    Zhèng fǔ pài jūn duì qù qīng jiǎo shān lǐ de tǔ fěi.
    The government sent troops to suppress bandits in the mountains.
  • 清剿。
    Zhè cì xíng dòng chéng gōng qīng jiǎo le suǒ yǒu dí rén.
    This operation successfully eliminated all enemies.
  • 清剿。
    Lì shǐ shàng duō cì qīng jiǎo dōu méi yǒu chè dǐ jiě jué wèn tí.
    Historically, many clean-up operations did not completely solve the problem.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

清qīngclear out
剿jiǎosuppress

清 and 剿 both mean to clear out and suppress, giving a sense of mopping up enemies.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng清qīng
Same sound today

清 has 氵 (water) on the left and 青 on the right to show its sound.

Open 清 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
巢
巢cháo剿chāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

剿 is made from 巢, which supplies the sound, and 刂, the knife form of 刀.

Open 剿 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.