游击队 (yóu jī duì) — guerrilla force; guerrilla unit | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

游击队 (yóujīduì) is an irregular military unit that fights through ambushes and hit-and-run tactics rather than conventional battles.

noun

guerrilla forceguerrilla unit

Measure word · 支

Examples

游击队。
Zhè zhī yóu jī duì zài shān lǐ huó dòng.
This guerrilla force operates in the mountains.
游击队。
yóu jī duì Shǐ yòng le líng huó de zhàn shù.
The guerrilla force used flexible tactics.
游击队。
Dāng dì rén zhī chí yóu jī duì dǐ kàng qīn lüè zhě.
The locals supported the guerrilla force in resisting the invaders.

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.

游击guerrilla

游yóuroam击jīstrike

联合Coordinate

游 “roam” + 击 “strike” + 队 “unit” names a force that roams and strikes.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

斿

斿yóu游yóu

Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

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 擊; 击 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

毄

毄jī擊jī

Same sound today

The traditional form 擊 has 手 (hand) and 毄; 毄 gives the sound and also points to striking, while the simplified 击 is a later shorthand.

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.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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