闪电战 (shǎn diàn zhàn) — blitzkrieg; lightning war; (figurative) a blitz | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A military term for 'blitzkrieg': a fast, concentrated attack aimed at defeating the enemy before they can react. Figuratively, it means a sudden, all-out push — in business, sports, or campaigns — to achieve a goal quickly.

noun

blitzkrieglightning war(figurative) a blitz

Measure word · 场

Examples

闪电战。
shǎn diàn zhàn Shì yì zhǒng kuài sù gōng jī de zhàn zhēng fāng shì.
Blitzkrieg is a fast-attack method of warfare.
闪电战，。
Tā men yòng le yì zhǒng shǎn diàn zhàn cè lüè, hěn kuài jiù zhàn lǐng le shì chǎng.
They used a blitz strategy and quickly captured the market.
闪电战，。
Qiú duì fā dòng le shǎn diàn zhàn, jǐ fēn zhōng jiù jìn le liǎng gè qiú.
The team launched a blitz and scored two goals in a few minutes.

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.

闪电lightning

闪shǎnflash电diànelectricity

偏正Modifier + head

闪电 is lightning and 战 is war, giving a fast, sudden war.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 閃; 闪 is its simplified writing.

門人閃

門門méngate
人人rénperson

In the traditional 閃, 人 (person) appears inside 門 (gate), showing a person running through a gate. The simplified 闪 is a later shorthand.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

申shēn電diàn

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

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

占戈战

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn战zhàn

Same sound today

战 pairs 占, which gives its sound, with 戈, a weapon.

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