战术 (zhàn shù) — tactics | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

战术 is concrete, in-the-moment methods used to win a battle, game, or competition. 战略 is the bigger long-term strategy; 技巧 is a personal skill or knack, not a plan.

noun

tactics

Measure word · 个

Examples

战术。
Zhè cì xíng dòng xū yào xīn de zhàn shù.
This operation requires new tactics.
战术，。
Tā men de zhàn shù fēi cháng yǒu xiào, yíng dé le bǐ sài.
Their tactics were very effective and they won the game.
战术。
Gōng sī zhì dìng le xīn de shì chǎng zhàn shù.
The company formulated new market tactics.

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.

战zhànfighting

术shùtechnique

The techniques 术 are for 战, giving methods used in fighting.

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.

占戈战

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn战zhàn

Same sound today

战 pairs 占, which gives its sound, with 戈, a weapon.

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 術; 术 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

行行xíngstreet, path

Sound part声符shēngfú

朮

朮zhú術shù

Same sound today

The traditional form 術 has 行 (street, path) beside 朮, which gives the sound; the simplified 术 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

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