重兵 (zhòng bīng) — massive forces, heavy troops (a large military deployment)

Definition

Noun for a large concentration of troops deployed for a major military operation. Always refers to the forces themselves, not equipment or strategy. (Note: the word is read chóng here, not zhòng.)

noun
massive forcesheavy troops (a large military deployment)

Examples

  • 重兵。
    Biān jìng dì qū yǒu zhòng bīng zhù zhā.
    Massive forces are stationed in the border region.
  • 重兵。
    Dí rén yǐ zhòng bīng fáng shǒu zhè zuò chéng shì.
    The enemy defended this city with heavy troops.
  • 重兵。
    Dāng nián tā dài lǐng zhòng bīng gōng xià le nà ge yào sài.
    Back then, he led massive forces to capture that fortress.

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.

重zhòngheavy
兵bīngtroops

重 gives heavy and 兵 gives troops, so the word means a heavy or large force.

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →

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

  • 斤斤jīna short axe
  • 廾廾gǒng2 hands

兵 combines 斤, a short axe, with 廾, two hands, showing a pair of hands holding a weapon.

Open 兵 →

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