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演习 (yǎn xí) — to conduct a drill; to practice (especially military or emergency maneuvers)

Definition

演习 (yǎn xí) is a formal verb for large-scale military or emergency drills. Compared to 演练, it stresses the public, organized event rather than rehearsing specific procedures.

verb
to conduct a drillto practice (especially military or emergency maneuvers)

Examples

  • 演习。
    Jūn duì měi nián dōu huì jǔ xíng yí cì dà guī mó yǎn xí.
    The military holds a large-scale drill every year.
  • 演习。
    Zhè cì xiāo fáng yǎn xí ràng dà jiā xué huì le rú hé táo shēng.
    This fire drill taught everyone how to escape.
  • 演习。
    Zhè cì yǎn xí de mù dì shì tí gāo shì bīng de zuò zhàn néng lì.
    The purpose of this drill is to improve the soldiers' combat capability.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

演yǎnrehearse
习xípractice

演 (rehearse) and 习 (practice) combine to mean conduct maneuvers.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
寅
寅yín演yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 習; 习 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 習 pairs 羽 (wings) with 日 (sun), showing a bird learning to fly; the simplified 习 is a later shorthand.

Open 习 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Military & Defense

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