越战 (Yuè zhàn) — Vietnam War (1955-1975) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Examples

越战。
Tā xiě le yì běn guān yú Yuè zhàn de shū.
He wrote a book about the Vietnam War.
越战。
Yuè zhàn Chí xù le jìn èr shí nián.
The Vietnam War lasted nearly twenty years.
越战。
Xǔ duō měi guó rén fǎn duì Yuè zhàn.
Many Americans opposed the Vietnam War.

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.

越yuèVietnam

越战 puts 越 (Vietnam) with 战 (war), naming the war in Vietnam.

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.

走戉越

Meaning part形符xíngfú

走走zǒuto walk or run

Sound part声符shēngfú

戉

戉yuè越yuè

Same sound today

越 is built from 走 (to walk or run) and 戉 (which supplies the sound); the 走 part shows the idea of going over or crossing.

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.

Appears in

History Military & Defense

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