还击 (huán jī) — to fight back, to counterattack, to return fire

Definition

verb

to fight backto counterattackto return fire

Examples

，还击。
Dí rén jìn gōng le, wǒ men lì kè huán jī.
The enemy attacked, and we immediately returned fire.
，还击。
Zài bǐ sài zhōng, tā huán jī le duì fāng de gōng jī.
During the match, he fought back against his opponent's attack.
，还击。
Miàn duì pī píng, tā lěng jìng dì jìn xíng le huán jī.
Facing criticism, he calmly fought back.

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.

还háiin return

击jīstrike

还击 means to 击 in return, i.e. to strike back or return fire.

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 還; 还 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

睘

睘qióng還hái

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 還 pairs 辵 (walk) with 睘 as a sound part for 'go back; return'; the simplified 还 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 还 →

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 擊; 击 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

毄

毄jī擊jī

Same sound today

The traditional form 擊 has 手 (hand) and 毄; 毄 gives the sound and also points to striking, while the simplified 击 is a later shorthand.

Open 击 →

Appears in