攻占 (gōng zhàn) — to storm and capture (a city, position, etc.) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A military/military-history term meaning to attack and take control of a position by force. Distinct from 占领 (occupy/hold, often a continuing state) and from 侵略 (invade a country, broader aggression).

verb

to storm and capture (a city, position, etc.)

Examples

攻占。
Dí rén gōng zhàn le zhè zuò chéng shì.
The enemy stormed and captured this city.
，攻占。
Jīng guò sān tiān jī zhàn, wǒ jūn zhōng yú gōng zhàn le gāo dì.
After three days of fierce fighting, our army finally stormed and captured the high ground.
攻占。
Tā men jì huà zài lí míng qián gōng zhàn dí rén de jù diǎn.
They plan to storm and capture the enemy's stronghold before dawn.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

占zhàncapture

攻 means attack and 占 means capture, so 攻占 joins two similar actions to describe taking a place by force.

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.

工攵攻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pūhand holding a tool or weapon

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

工gōng攻gōng

Same sound today

攻 puts 工, which gives the pronunciation, beside 攵, a hand holding a tool or 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 佔; 占 is its simplified writing.

亻占佔

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn佔zhàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 佔 has a person part 亻 and a sound part 占; the simplified 占 is a later abbreviation.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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