退兵 (tuì bīng) — to withdraw troops; to force the enemy to retreat

Definition

Military term meaning to pull one's own troops back, or to push the enemy into retreat. Intransitive for one's own forces (退兵); the 'force the enemy' sense is usually expressed passively (敌人被迫退兵).

verb
to withdraw troopsto force the enemy to retreat

Examples

  • 退兵。
    Jiāng jūn xià lìng tuì bīng.
    The general ordered a troop withdrawal.
  • 。
    Tā men tuì le yí cì bīng jiù tíng xià le.
    They withdrew troops once and then stopped.
  • 退兵。
    Dí rén bèi pò tuì bīng.
    The enemy was forced to retreat.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

退tuìwithdraw
兵bīngtroops

退 withdraw and 兵 troops combine to mean withdraw troops.

Characters in this word

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

  • 皀皀jífood vessel
  • 夊夊suīdownward foot

退 originally showed 皀, a food vessel, with 夊, a downward foot, for leaving the table after eating. In modern 退, the vessel part 皀 changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 退 →

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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