粮草 (liáng cǎo) — army provisions; rations and fodder | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A historical/strategic term for the food (粮) and animal feed (草) an army carries — i.e. logistics, not just food. The modern equivalent is 军需 or 军粮.

noun

army provisionsrations and fodder

Examples

粮草。
Jūn duì de liáng cǎo chǔ bèi hěn chōng zú.
The army's provisions and fodder reserves are very sufficient.
，粮草。
Gǔ dài dǎ zhàng, liáng cǎo shì jué dìng shèng fù de guān jiàn yīn sù zhī yī.
In ancient warfare, provisions and fodder were one of the key factors deciding victory or defeat.
粮草。
Tā men bǎ liáng cǎo yùn dào le qián xiàn.
They transported the provisions and fodder to the front line.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

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

'粮' is grain or food and '草' is grass or fodder, naming army provisions.

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.

米良粮

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐfood

Sound part声符shēngfú

良

良liáng粮liáng

Same sound today

粮 puts 米 (food) beside 良, which gives the sound liáng.

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

艹早草

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

早

早zǎo草cǎo

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

草 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 早, which gives the sound. The form originally referred to another word and was later used for the grass sense.

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