皇军 (huáng jūn) — (historical, derogatory) Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and WWII

Definition

Historical, derogatory Chinese term for Japan's Imperial Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and WWII — the name Japan used for itself, now associated with wartime atrocities. Mostly appears in histories and eyewitness accounts from that era.

noun
(historical, derogatory) Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and WWII

Examples

  • 1937，皇军。
    1937 Nián, huáng jūn rù qīn le zhōng guó huá běi dì qū.
    In 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded North China.
  • 皇军。
    Nán jīng dà tú shā shì huáng jūn fàn xià de yán zhòng zuì xíng.
    The Nanjing Massacre was a grave crime committed by the Imperial Japanese Army.
  • 皇军。
    Xǔ duō lǎo rén zhì jīn réng jì de huáng jūn zài cūn lǐ de bào xíng.
    Many elderly people still remember the atrocities of the Imperial Japanese Army in the village.

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.

皇huángimperial
军jūnarmy

皇 gives 'imperial' and 军 gives 'army', together naming an imperial army.

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
𤼽𤼽𤼽
Sound part声符shēngfú
王
王wáng皇huáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The part 𤼽 originally drew a single peacock feather; 王 was later added to give the sound.

Open 皇 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軍; 军 is its simplified writing.

  • 車車jūcart; chariot
  • 勹勹bāoto surround

In the traditional form 軍, 車 shows the chariot sense, while the part now written 勹 is a sound part, not the 'surround' 勹. Simplified 军 is a later shorthand.

Open 军 →

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