金盾 (jīn dùn) — golden shield (symbol of police authority)

Definition

A 'golden shield' badge or emblem used as a symbol of police authority in China. In context it stands for the police force itself or its power, not a literal shield.

noun
golden shield (symbol of police authority)

Examples

  • 金盾。
    Jǐng chá jú de mén kǒu guà zhe yí gè jù dà de jīn dùn.
    A huge golden shield hangs at the entrance of the police station.
  • 金盾。
    Zhè méi jīn dùn huī zhāng dài biǎo le tā zuò wéi jǐng chá de róng yù.
    This golden shield badge represents his honor as a police officer.
  • ，金盾。
    Diàn yǐng lǐ, jīn dùn cháng cháng xiàng zhēng zhe zhèng yì yǔ lì liàng.
    In movies, the golden shield often symbolizes justice and strength.

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.

金jīngold
盾dùnshield

金 and 盾 combine to mean a golden shield.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

盾 originally drew a shield, so the shape is a picture of that object.

Open 盾 →

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