国防部长 (guó fáng bù zhǎng) — defense minister | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

defense minister

Measure word · 位

Examples

国防部长。
Xīn rèn guó fáng bù zhǎng míng tiān jiāng jǔ xíng jì zhě huì.
The new defense minister will hold a press conference tomorrow.
国防部长。
guó fáng bù zhǎng Yǔ lái fǎng de wài guó dài biǎo tuán jìn xíng le huì tán.
The defense minister held talks with a visiting foreign delegation.
国防部长。
Zhè wèi guó fáng bù zhǎng zài guó fáng dà xué fā biǎo guò yǎn jiǎng.
This defense minister once gave a speech at the National Defense University.

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.

国防national defense

国guócountry防fángdefense

偏正Modifier + head

部长department leader

部bùdepartment长chángleader

偏正Modifier + head

国防 (“national defense”) and 部长 (“department leader”) make the defense minister.

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

囗或國

Meaning part形符xíngfú

囗囗wéiclosure

Sound part声符shēngfú

或

或huò國guó

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

阝方防

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng防fáng

Same sound today

防 pairs 阝 (written fully as 阜) with 方, which gives the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

咅

咅pǒu部bù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

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.

Appears in

Government & Politics Military & Defense Professions & Jobs

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