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火箭弹 (huǒ jiàn dàn) — rocket projectile

Definition

noun
rocket projectile
Measure word · 枚

Examples

  • 火箭弹。
    Dí rén fā shè le hěn duō huǒ jiàn dàn.
    The enemy launched many rocket projectiles.
  • 火箭弹。
    huǒ jiàn dàn Jī zhòng le nà zuò dà lóu.
    A rocket projectile hit that building.
  • 火箭弹。
    huǒ jiàn dàn Shì yì zhǒng wēi xiǎn de wǔ qì.
    Rocket projectiles are a dangerous weapon.

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.

火箭rocket
火huǒfire箭jiànarrow
偏正Modifier + head
弹tánprojectile

火箭 is the fire-arrow or rocket, and 弹 is the projectile, so the word names a rocket-fired projectile.

Characters in this word

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

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

Open 火 →

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
前
前qián箭jiàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 竹 part points to bamboo, the material of arrows; the 前 part gives the sound.

Open 箭 →

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 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
單
單dān彈tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Open 弹 →
Appears in
Military & Defense

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