野战 (yě zhàn) — field operations; field battle; guerrilla warfare

Definition

A military term for combat operations conducted in the field, away from a fixed base — broader than guerrilla warfare (which implies irregular forces).

noun
field operationsfield battleguerrilla warfare

Examples

  • 野战,。
    Zhè zhī jūn duì shàn cháng yě zhàn, zài fù zá dì xíng zhōng yě néng líng huó zuò zhàn.
    This army excels at field operations and can fight flexibly even in complex terrain.
  • 野战。
    Lì shǐ shàng xǔ duō yě zhàn zhàn shù dōu shì zhēn duì dí hòu bǔ jǐ xiàn shè jì de.
    Many guerrilla warfare tactics in history were designed to target enemy supply lines.
  • 野战。
    yě zhàn Bù duì zài yè jiān tū xí le dí rén de zhǐ huī bù.
    The field operations unit launched a night raid on the enemy's command post.

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.

野yěfield; open country
战zhànbattle

野 gives the sense of open field, and 战 means battle, so it refers to field operations.

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
田田tiánfield
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
予
予yǔ野yě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

野 combines 田 (field) above 土 (earth) to show open country, with 予 giving the sound.

Open 野 →

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
占
占zhàn战zhàn
Same sound today

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

Open 战 →

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