阅兵式 (yuè bīng shì) — military parade; review of troops

Definition

noun
military paradereview of troops
Measure word · 场

Examples

  • 阅兵式。
    Měi nián de guó qìng jié dōu yǒu shèng dà de yuè bīng shì.
    Every year on National Day, there is a grand military parade.
  • 阅兵式。
    Zhè cì yuè bīng shì zhǎn shì le zhōng guó jūn duì de zuì xīn zhuāng bèi.
    This military parade showcased the latest equipment of the Chinese military.
  • 阅兵式。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù xiǎng qīn yǎn guān kàn yí cì yuè bīng shì.
    He has wanted to see a military parade in person since he was a child.

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.

阅兵inspect troops
阅yuèinspect兵bīngtroops
动宾Verb + object
式shìceremony

阅兵 means inspecting troops, and 式 is a ceremony, giving a troop-inspection ceremony.

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 閱; 阅 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門mén
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì閱yuè
Same sound today

The traditional form 閱 pairs 門, a gate, with 兌, a part that gives the sound; the simplified 阅 is a shorthand.

Open 阅 →

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 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →

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