检查哨 (jiǎn chá shào) — checkpoint (e.g., military, police, or security)

Definition

noun
checkpoint (e.g., military, police, or security)

Examples

  • 检查哨，。
    Qián fāng yǒu yí gè jiǎn chá shào, suǒ yǒu chē liàng dōu yào tíng xià lái jiē shòu jiǎn chá.
    There is a checkpoint ahead; all vehicles must stop and be inspected.
  • 检查哨。
    Shì bīng men zài jiǎn chá shào shàng zǐ xì jiǎn chá měi yí liàng jīng guò de kǎ chē.
    The soldiers carefully inspected every passing truck at the checkpoint.
  • 检查哨，。
    Zhè ge jiǎn chá shào shì lín shí shè lì de, zhī kāi fàng dào míng tiān.
    This checkpoint is set up temporarily and will only be open until tomorrow.

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.

检查check
检jiǎninspect查chácheck
联合Side by side
哨shàopost

“检查” denotes checking and “哨” a post: a post where checking happens.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 檢; 检 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān檢jiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 檢 pairs 木 (wood) with 僉 as a sound part; it may originally have pictured a blade on top of a wooden spear. The simplified 检 is a later shorthand.

Open 检 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě查chá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

查 pairs 木 (wood) with 且, which shows the sound. It originally meant a hawthorn tree or a wooden raft.

Open 查 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 哨 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.