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侧击 (cè jī) — to make a flank attack; to make oblique remarks, to imply indirectly

Definition

侧击 (cè jī) has two senses: literally 'to flank-attack' (hit the enemy's side), and figuratively 'to take indirect verbal jabs' — oblique remarks rather than saying something straight out.

verb
to make a flank attackto make oblique remarksto imply indirectly

Examples

  • 侧击。
    Wǒ jūn cóng cè yì cè jī dí rén.
    Our army flanked the enemy from the side.
  • 侧击。
    Tā shuō huà cháng cháng xǐ huan cè jī bié rén.
    He often likes to make oblique remarks at others.
  • 侧击，。
    Nǐ bú yào cè jī, yǒu huà zhí shuō.
    Don't make indirect remarks; just say what you want.

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.

侧cèside
击jīstrike

The “侧” says from the side, and “击” means to strike.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 側; 侧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé側cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 側 has 亻, a person, and uses 則 to show its sound. The simplified 侧 is a later shorthand.

Open 侧 →

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 擊; 击 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
毄
毄jī擊jī
Same sound today

The traditional form 擊 has 手 (hand) and 毄; 毄 gives the sound and also points to striking, while the simplified 击 is a later shorthand.

Open 击 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechMilitary & Defense

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