激战 (jī zhàn) — to fight fiercely, to engage in fierce combat | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

激战 (jīzhàn) is an emphatic compound verb meaning 'to fight fiercely / engage in fierce combat' — a more intense, battle-focused upgrade over the everyday 战斗. Best for prolonged, intense clashes (often military).

verb

to fight fiercelyto engage in fierce combat

Examples

激战。
Liǎng jūn zài biān jìng jī zhàn le sān tiān.
The two armies fought fiercely at the border for three days.
激战。
Shuāng fāng jī zhàn dào shēn yè cái jié shù.
Both sides fought fiercely until late at night before ending.
，激战。
Wèi le zhàn lǐng zhè zuò chéng, tā men jī zhàn le shù yuè.
To capture this city, they fought fiercely for several months.

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.

激jīfierce

激战 joins 激 (fierce) and 战 (fight) to mean fight fiercely.

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.

氵敫激

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo激jī

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

占戈战

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn战zhàn

Same sound today

战 pairs 占, which gives its sound, with 戈, a weapon.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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