TongTong
Sign in

掩体 (yǎn tǐ) — (military) bunker; blindage; protective shelter; (gaming) cover; barrier

Definition

A protective shelter used in military or combat contexts to shield against fire — like a bunker or barrier that provides cover. The first meaning is the real-world military sense; the second is the in-game extension of that idea.

noun
(military) bunkerblindageprotective shelter(gaming) coverbarrier
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 掩体，。
    Shì bīng duǒ zài yǎn tǐ hòu miàn, děng dài dí rén kào jìn.
    The soldiers hid behind the bunker, waiting for the enemy to approach.
  • 掩体。
    Zhè ge yǎn tǐ néng dǐ yù zhòng xíng pào huǒ de gōng jī.
    This bunker can withstand heavy artillery fire.
  • ，掩体。
    Zài shè jī yóu xì zhōng, yào shàn yòng yǎn tǐ lái bǎo hù zì jǐ.
    In shooting games, make good use of cover to protect yourself.

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.

掩yǎncover
体tǐbody

掩 conveys covering and 体 denotes a body or structure, together meaning a protective shelter.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
奄
奄yǎn掩yǎn
Same sound today

The left part 扌 is a hand; the right part 奄 gives the character its sound.

Open 掩 →

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.