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整装待发 (zhěng zhuāng dài fā) — ready and waiting to set out or begin something; fully prepared for an upcoming task or journey

Definition

Idiom meaning a group is fully geared up and waiting to depart or begin. Implies a coordinated team about to act, not just personal readiness.

idiom
ready and waiting to set out or begin somethingfully prepared for an upcoming task or journey

Examples

  • 整装待发，。
    Duì wu yǐ jīng zhěng zhuāng dài fā, zhī děng zhǐ huī guān de yì shēng lìng xià.
    The team is already ready to go, just waiting for the commander's order.
  • ，整装待发。
    Suǒ yǒu cái liào dōu zhǔn bèi hǎo le, wǒ men zhěng zhuāng dài fā.
    All the materials are ready; we are fully prepared to start.
  • 整装待发，。
    Zhè cì kǎo chá tuán zhěng zhuāng dài fā, míng tiān yì zǎo chū fā.
    The expedition is ready to go and will set off early tomorrow morning.

Origin

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
敕敕chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng整zhěng
Same sound today

整 pairs 敕 as the meaning side with 正 as the sound side.

Open 整 →

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 裝; 装 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
壯
壯zhuàng裝zhuāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 裝 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 壯 as a sound part; this story is about 裝, not the simplified 装.

Open 装 →

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì待dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.

Open 待 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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