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长枪 (cháng qiāng) — spear (historical weapon); long-barreled gun (rifle)

Definition

Literally 'long spear/gun' — the HSK 7 sense is the historical spear used in classical warfare. The 'rifle' sense exists but is a secondary, older usage.

noun
spear (historical weapon)long-barreled gun (rifle)
Measure word · 支

Examples

  • ，长枪。
    Zài gǔ dài zhàn chǎng shàng, shì bīng men cháng shǐ yòng cháng qiāng hé dùn pái.
    On ancient battlefields, soldiers often used spears and shields.
  • 长枪，。
    Xiàn dài de cháng qiāng shè chéng hěn yuǎn, jīng dù yě hěn gāo.
    Modern long-barreled guns have a very long range and high accuracy.
  • 长枪。
    Tā shōu cáng le yì bǎ míng qīng shí qī de cháng qiāng.
    He collected a spear from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

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.

长chánglong
枪qiāngweapon

长 means long and 枪 means weapon, so together they mean a long spear or gun.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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 槍; 枪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
倉
倉cāng槍qiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 槍 pairs 木 (wood) with 倉 as a sound part; the simplified 枪 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 枪 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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