轻骑兵 (qīng qí bīng) — light cavalry

Definition

noun
light cavalry
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，轻骑兵。
    Gǔ dài zhàn zhēng zhōng, qīng qí bīng fù zé zhēn chá hé kuài sù tū xí.
    In ancient warfare, light cavalry was responsible for reconnaissance and rapid raids.
  • 轻骑兵，。
    Zhè zhī qīng qí bīng bù duì jī dòng xìng hěn qiáng, néng xùn sù zhuǎn yí zhèn dì.
    This light cavalry unit has strong mobility and can quickly shift positions.
  • 轻骑兵，。
    Tā zhǐ huī de qīng qí bīng zài cǎo yuán shàng zòng héng chí chěng, lìng dí rén wén fēng sàng dǎn.
    The light cavalry he commanded galloped across the grasslands, striking fear into the enemy.

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
骑兵cavalry
骑qímounted兵bīngsoldier
偏正Modifier + head

轻 means light and 骑兵 means mounted soldiers, naming troops on fast, lightly equipped horses.

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 →

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 騎; 骑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
奇
奇qí騎qí
Same sound today

The traditional form 騎 combines 馬, meaning horse, with 奇, which supplies the sound, for riding a horse; the simplified 骑 is a later shorthand.

Open 骑 →

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

  • 斤斤jīna short axe
  • 廾廾gǒng2 hands

兵 combines 斤, a short axe, with 廾, two hands, showing a pair of hands holding a weapon.

Open 兵 →

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