智取 (zhì qǔ) — to take by strategy; to outwit (in military, competitive, or strategic contexts)

Definition

A formal/strategic verb meaning 'to take by wit or strategy', used in military, competitive, or storytelling contexts rather than everyday action. More literary than plain 取 ('to take').

verb
to take by strategyto outwit (in military, competitive, or strategic contexts)

Examples

  • 智取。
    Tā men lì yòng dì xíng zhì qǔ le dí rén de zhèn dì.
    They used the terrain to capture the enemy's position by strategy.
  • 智取。
    Zhè ge zhì qǔ de gù shi zài mín jiān liú chuán hěn guǎng.
    This story of outwitting the enemy is widely circulated among the people.
  • ，智取，。
    Zài bǐ sài zhōng, tā zhì qǔ le duì shǒu, yíng dé le shèng lì.
    In the competition, he outwitted his opponent and won.

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.

智zhìstrategy
取qǔtake

智 conveys strategy or wisdom, and 取 conveys taking, so the result is gained by clever planning.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The early form 智 used 大 (adult), 口 (mouth), and 子 (child): an adult speaking to pass knowledge to a child.

Open 智 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →

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