别动队 (bié dòng duì) — (historical) special detachment or commando unit; armed secret agent squad

Definition

A military/political term for an armed special detachment or secret agent squad, used in modern Chinese historical writing (esp. Republican-era and wartime). It is a set compound, not a common everyday noun.

noun
(historical) special detachment or commando unitarmed secret agent squad
Measure word · 支

Examples

  • 别动队。
    Zhè zhī bié dòng duì zài kàng rì zhàn zhēng zhōng zhí xíng guò duō cì wēi xiǎn rèn wu.
    This special detachment carried out many dangerous missions during the War of Resistance against Japan.
  • ，别动队。
    Lǎo rén zài huí yì lù lǐ tí dào, tā bèi guó mín dǎng bié dòng duì zhuā qù shěn wèn guò.
    In his memoir, the old man mentioned that he was arrested for interrogation by a Kuomintang secret agent squad.
  • ，别动队。
    Guān yú nà duàn lì shǐ, bié dòng duì zhè ge cí zǒng ràng rén xiǎng qǐ bào lì yǔ mì mì xíng dòng.
    Regarding that period of history, the term 'special detachment' always brings to mind violence and covert operations.

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.

别动separate action
别biéseparate动dòngaction
偏正Modifier + head
队duìteam

别动 conveys separate or special action, and 队 names the group formed for it.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 別; 别 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 別 pairs 冎 (bone) with 刀 (knife), showing a knife cutting up bone and flesh. The simplified 别 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 别 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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 隊; 队 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒸
㒸㒸隊duì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隊 has 阜 as the meaning part and 㒸 as the sound part.

Open 队 →

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