空战 (kōng zhàn) — air battle | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

air battle

Measure word · 场

Examples

空战。
Zhè chǎng kōng zhàn chí xù le sān gè xiǎo shí.
This air battle lasted three hours.
空战。
Tā zài kōng zhàn zhōng biǎo xiàn fēi cháng yīng yǒng.
He performed very bravely in the air battle.
空战。
Xiàn dài kōng zhàn zhǔ yào yī kào dǎo dàn hé léi dá.
Modern air battles mainly rely on missiles and radar.

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.

The parts for 空 air and 战 battle give the idea of fighting in the air.

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.

穴工空

Meaning part形符xíngfú

穴穴xuécave, hole

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

工gōng空kōng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, which 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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