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行列 (háng liè) — (literal) row, rank, line (of people or things); (figurative) ranks (as in joining a group or category)

Definition

行列 is a formal/literary noun for 'ranks, rows' — physical lines of people or, figuratively, the body of people in a profession or group. 队伍 is the everyday word for people lined up or marching; 排 is the verb 'to line up' or a casual 'row'.

noun
(literal) rowrankline (of people or things)(figurative) ranks (as in joining a group or category)

Examples

  • 行列，。
    Shì bīng men pái chéng zhěng qí de háng liè, děng dài jiǎn yuè.
    The soldiers formed neat ranks, awaiting inspection.
  • 行列。
    Tā zhōng yú jiā rù le zhè ge háng yè de yī liú háng liè.
    She finally joined the top ranks of this industry.
  • 行列。
    Yóu xíng háng liè zuì qián miàn shì yuè duì.
    At the very front of the parade ranks is the band.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

行xíngrow
列liècolumn

行 and 列 both name lines or ranks, so together they describe an ordered array.

Characters in this word

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →

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

列 combines 歹, drawn as skeletal remains, and 刀, a knife, to depict tearing apart.

Open 列 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Groups & OrganizationsOrder & Arrangement

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