生物战 (shēng wù zhàn) — biological warfare | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Noun for 'biological warfare' — warfare that uses pathogens or toxins as weapons. A more common everyday term is 生化武器 (biochemical weapons) for the weapons themselves.

noun

biological warfare

Examples

生物战。
Guó jì shè huì jìn zhǐ shǐ yòng shēng wù zhàn.
The international community prohibits the use of biological warfare.
生物战。
shēng wù zhàn Shì yì zhǒng kě pà de zhàn zhēng xíng shì.
Biological warfare is a terrible form of warfare.
生物战。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū rú hé fáng fàn shēng wù zhàn.
Scientists are researching how to prevent biological warfare.

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.

生物living things

生shēngliving物wùthing

偏正Modifier + head

生物 refers to living things, 战 refers to war, together biological warfare.

Characters in this word

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

屮屮chèbud
一一yīground

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

勿wù物wù

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

占戈战

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn战zhàn

Same sound today

战 pairs 占, which gives its sound, with 戈, a weapon.

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