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大元帅 (dà yuán shuài) — generalissimo, marshal, commander in chief

Definition

A formal, historical military title for the highest-ranking commander — above 将帅 and 将军. Translates as 'generalissimo' or 'marshal', used for supreme leaders like Napoleon, not ordinary generals.

noun
generalissimomarshalcommander in chief
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 大元帅。
    Tā zài zhàn zhēng zhōng chéng wèi le dà yuán shuài.
    He became a generalissimo during the war.
  • 大元帅。
    Zhè wèi dà yuán shuài zhǐ huī le duō cì zhòng yào zhàn yì.
    This marshal commanded many important battles.
  • 大元帅。
    Lì shǐ shàng zuì yǒu míng de dà yuán shuài zhī yī shì ná pò lún.
    One of the most famous commanders in chief in history is Napoleon.

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.

大dàgreat
元帅marshal
元yuánchief帅shuàimarshal
偏正Modifier + head

大 means great and 元帅 means chief marshal, so the word names the highest marshal.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 元 shows a figure with two lines for a head, one connected to the body and one above it, emphasizing the head.

Open 元 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 帥; 帅 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 帥 shows 寻 (two hands) with 巾 (scarf), showing a scarf being worn. The simplified 帅 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 帅 →
Appears in
Military & DefenseProfessions & Jobs

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