Definition
服兵役 is a verb-object compound (离合词) meaning 'to serve in the military'. As a separable verb, the object 兵役 can split off from 服 when you insert a duration, an aspect marker, or a measure word: e.g., 服了两年兵役 ('served two years in the military') or 服过兵役 ('have served'). You cannot place a direct object after the whole compound; instead, you split or rephrase.
v.o.
to serve in the militaryto perform military service
Examples
- 服兵役。Tā shíbā suì shí kāishǐ fú.He started serving in the military at age eighteen.
- ，。Wǒ fú le liǎng nián bīngyì, qùnián tuìwǔ le.I served two years in the military and was discharged last year.
- ，。Tā cónglái méi fú guò bīngyì, bú tài liǎojiě jūnduì shēnghuó.He has never served in the military, so he doesn't know much about army life.
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