特种部队 (tè zhǒng bù duì) — special forces, special operations forces

Definition

noun
special forcesspecial operations forces
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 特种部队
    Tā jiā rù le tè zhǒng bù duì.
    He joined the special forces.
  • 特种部队
    tè zhǒng bù duì De zhuāng bèi fēi cháng xiān jìn.
    The special forces' equipment is very advanced.
  • 特种部队
    Zhè zhī tè zhǒng bù duì wán chéng le yí cì wēi xiǎn de rèn wu.
    This special forces unit completed a dangerous mission.

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.

特种special kind
specialzhǒngkind
偏正Modifier + head
部队troops
unitduìteam
联合Coordinate

特种 means special kind, and 部队 means troops, together naming special forces.

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

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

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
rice
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhōngzhǒng
Same sound today

种 pairs 禾, which shows rice or grain and fits meanings like plant and seed, with 中, which gives its sound.

Open 种 →

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

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Open 部 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
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.

Open 队 →

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