轻武器 (qīng wǔ qì) — small arms; light weapons (e.g. pistols, rifles, submachine guns)

Definition

Light, man-portable weapons such as pistols, rifles, and submachine guns — distinguished from heavy weapons like artillery. Used in military and defense contexts.

noun
small armslight weapons (e.g. pistols, rifles, submachine guns)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 轻武器。
    Shì bīng men xié dài qīng wǔ qì jìn xíng xún luó.
    The soldiers carried small arms while patrolling.
  • 轻武器、。
    qīng wǔ qì Tōng cháng zhǐ shǒu qiāng, bù qiāng hé chōng fēng qiāng.
    Small arms usually refer to pistols, rifles, and submachine guns.
  • ，轻武器。
    Yǔ zhòng wǔ qì xiāng bǐ, qīng wǔ qì gèng biàn yú xié dài.
    Compared to heavy weapons, small arms are more portable.

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.

轻qīnglight
武器weapon
武wǔmartial器qìinstrument
偏正Modifier + head

轻 means light, and 武器 are martial instruments, so the thing is light weapons.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 輕; 轻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng輕qīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輕 pairs 車, a carriage, with 巠 to give the sound; it originally named a light carriage. The simplified 轻 is only a later shorthand.

Open 轻 →

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

武 puts 戈 (dagger-axe) above 止 (foot/to walk), showing an army going on an expedition.

Open 武 →

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

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.

Open 器 →

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