战袍 (zhàn páo) — (noun) ancient combat robe worn over armor; (fig.) iconic team uniform or professional workwear

Definition

Literally 'battle robe' — a soldier's combat garment worn over armor, and by extension any iconic team or professional uniform that symbolizes a fighter's identity.

noun
ancient combat robe worn over armor(fig.) iconic team uniform or professional workwear
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 战袍
    Zhè shēn zhàn páo shì bó wù guǎn lǐ bǎo cún zuì wán hǎo de hàn dài wén wù zhī yī.
    This suit of combat robe is one of the best-preserved Han dynasty artifacts in the museum.
  • 战袍
    Měi gè duì yuán dōu chuān shàng le xīn shè jì de zhàn páo, zhǔn bèi yíng jiē jué sài.
    Every team member put on the newly designed combat uniform, ready for the final match.
  • 战袍
    Tā tuō xià shǒu shù fú, huàn shàng le xiàng zhēng róng yù de zhàn páo.
    He took off his surgical gown and changed into the symbolic robe of honor.

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.

zhàncombat

战 (combat) tells what kind of 袍 (robe) is meant.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhànzhàn
Same sound today

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

Open 战 →

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

袍 combines 衣, which means clothing, with 包, which gives the sound.

Open 袍 →
Appears in

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