列强 (liè qiáng) — the great powers (imperialist nations that imposed unequal treaties on 19th–20th century China)

Definition

A historical term for the imperialist great powers that invaded and forced unequal treaties on China in the 19th–20th century. Used in modern Chinese mainly to discuss that era of foreign aggression, not current geopolitics.

noun
the great powers (imperialist nations that imposed unequal treaties on 19th–20th century China)

Examples

  • 19，列强。
    19 Shì jì, zhōng guó shòu dào liè qiáng de qīn lüè hé yā pò.
    In the 19th century, China suffered invasion and oppression from the great powers.
  • 列强。
    liè qiáng Yāo qiú qīng zhèng fǔ qiān dìng yí xì liè bù píng děng tiáo yuē.
    The great powers demanded that the Qing government sign a series of unequal treaties.
  • ，列强。
    Ruò guó wú wài jiāo, liè qiáng de lì shǐ jiào xùn zhì jīn réng yǒu jǐng shì yì yì.
    A weak nation has no diplomacy; the historical lesson of the great powers still serves as a warning today.

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.

列lièseveral/listed
强qiángstrong

列 (several/listed) + 强 (strong) names the strong nations of the era.

Characters in this word

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 →

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 強; 强 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 強 pairs an insect component with a sound component; this explains 強, not the simplified 强.

Open 强 →

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