狙击 (jū jī) — to snipe at; to attack from ambush | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

狙击 (jūjī) means to snipe — to shoot a specific target from a hidden, distant position, usually with a sniper rifle. It is a military/tactical term, narrower than 射击 ('shoot, fire') and distinct from 暗杀 ('assassinate', which is political murder).

verb

to snipe atto attack from ambush

Examples

狙击。
Dí rén cóng yuǎn chù jū jī wǒ men.
The enemy sniped at us from afar.
狙击。
Tā zài shè jī bǐ sài zhōng jū jī mù biāo.
He sniped at targets in a shooting competition.
狙击。
Jǐng chá yòng jū jī qiāng jū jī le dǎi tú.
Police sniped the criminals with a sniper rifle.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

狙jūambush

击jīattack

狙 means ambush and 击 means attack, describing an attack from concealment.

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.

犭且狙

Meaning part形符xíngfú

犭Written in full as犬quǎn

Sound part声符shēngfú

且

Same sound today

狙 pairs 犭 (full form 犬) for the meaning with 且 for the sound.

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 擊; 击 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

毄

毄jī擊jī

Same sound today

The traditional form 擊 has 手 (hand) and 毄; 毄 gives the sound and also points to striking, while the simplified 击 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

Military & Defense

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