弓箭 (gōng jiàn) — bow and arrow | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

bow and arrow

Measure word · 副

Examples

弓箭。
Gǔ dài de shì bīng dōu shǐ yòng gōng jiàn zuò zhàn.
Ancient soldiers all used bows and arrows in battle.
，弓箭。
Tā shàn cháng qí shè, bǎi bù zhī nèi néng yòng gōng jiàn shè zhòng bǎ xīn.
He is skilled at horseback archery and can hit the bullseye from a hundred paces with a bow and arrow.
弓箭。
Zhè cì zhǎn lǎn zhǎn chū le hěn duō gǔ dài de gōng jiàn.
This exhibition displays many ancient bows and arrows.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

弓 and 箭 are two weapons used together, so the pair means bow and arrow.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 弓 is a picture of a bow.

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

竹前箭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

前

前qián箭jiàn

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

The 竹 part points to bamboo, the material of arrows; the 前 part gives the sound.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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