工事 (gōng shì) — fortifications, defense works

Definition

工事 refers to military defensive structures built in the field — trenches, bunkers, embankments. It names the physical works themselves, not the broader concept of defense (防御) or strategy.

noun
fortificationsdefense works
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 工事。
    Jūn duì zài qián xiàn xiū jiàn le jiān gù de gōng shì.
    The army built strong fortifications on the front line.
  • 工事。
    Dí rén de pào huǒ cuī huǐ le wǒ men de gōng shì.
    The enemy's artillery destroyed our defense works.
  • 工事。
    Zhè xiē gōng shì néng yǒu xiào bǎo hù shì bīng de ān quán.
    These fortifications can effectively protect the soldiers' safety.

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.

工gōngengineering
事shìworks

The engineering sense of 工 and the works sense of 事 combine to name fortified works.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 工 is a picture of a bladed tool used to plow ground or mark a border; some read it as a carpenter's square.

Open 工 →

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

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Open 事 →

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