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操练 (cāo liàn) — to drill; to practice (in a structured, repetitive way, especially military or physical training)

Definition

操练 means to drill or practice in a structured, repetitive way — stronger and more regimented than 练习 or 练, closer to 训练 but often for physical or military routines. Use it for repeated exercises like troops or martial arts, not casual rehearsal.

verb
to drillto practice (in a structured, repetitive way, especially military or physical training)

Examples

  • 操练。
    Shì bīng men měi tiān qīng chén dōu yào cāo liàn yí gè xiǎo shí.
    The soldiers drill for an hour every morning.
  • 操练。
    Zhè tào quán fǎ xū yào fǎn fù cāo liàn cái néng zhǎng wò.
    This set of boxing techniques requires repeated practice to master.
  • 操练。
    Xiāo fáng duì zhèng zài cāo liàn huǒ zāi yìng jí liú chéng.
    The fire brigade is drilling the emergency fire response procedures.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

操cāodrill
练liànpractice

"操" drill and "练" practice combine to mean repeated training.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
喿
喿zào操cāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 手 shows a hand, indicating an action done by hand. The right part 喿 gives the sound.

Open 操 →

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 練; 练 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
柬
柬jiǎn練liàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 練 has 糸, silk, and 柬, which gives the sound. The simplified 练 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not historical.

Open 练 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Military & Defense

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