追兵 (zhuī bīng) — pursuing troops; pursuers (in a chase or retrea…

Definition

noun

pursuing troopspursuers (in a chase or retreat)

Measure word · 支

追兵。
Hòu miàn de zhuī bīng yuè lái yuè jìn le.
The pursuing troops behind are getting closer and closer.
追兵，。
Tā men shuǎi diào le zhuī bīng, ān quán dào dá le mù dì dì.
They shook off the pursuers and arrived safely at their destination.
追兵。
Jiāng jūn mìng lìng shì bīng men quán lì zǔ dǎng zhuī bīng.
The general ordered the soldiers to do their best to block the pursuing troops.

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.

追兵 joins 追, pursuing, with 兵, soldiers, to mean troops that pursue.

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.

辶𠂤追

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòmovement

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠂤

𠂤𠂤追zhuī

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

The 辶 part shows movement, while 𠂤 gives the sound, for the sense of moving after or pursuing.

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

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

Appears in