围剿 (wéi jiǎo) — to encircle and suppress; to launch a campaign to eliminate (enemy forces, crime, etc.)

Definition

A military-style verb meaning to encircle and wipe out an enemy force or organized threat (crimes, gangs). Implies a coordinated, systematic campaign rather than a single action.

verb
to encircle and suppressto launch a campaign to eliminate (enemy forces, crime, etc.)

Examples

  • 围剿。
    Zhèng fǔ zhǎn kāi le duì dú pǐn de quán miàn wéi jiǎo xíng dòng.
    The government launched a comprehensive campaign to encircle and suppress drugs.
  • 围剿。
    Hóng jūn zài fǎn wéi jiǎo zhōng qǔ dé le shèng lì.
    The Red Army achieved victory in the counter-encirclement campaign.
  • 围剿。
    Jǐng fāng zhèng zài wéi jiǎo yí gè fàn zuì tuán huǒ.
    The police are encircling and suppressing a criminal gang.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

围wéiencircle
剿jiǎosuppress

'围' (encircle) and '剿' (suppress) are two actions combined into a campaign.

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 圍; 围 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéienclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi圍wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 圍 pairs 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which gives the sound; 围 is the simplified form of 圍.

Open 围 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
巢
巢cháo剿chāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

剿 is made from 巢, which supplies the sound, and 刂, the knife form of 刀.

Open 剿 →

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