队伍 (duì wu) — troops, military unit; queue, line, procession | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

队伍 is a formed group of people — military units or any organized procession/queue. 队 is the shorter, more general 'team'; 部队 is specifically armed forces. Use 排队 for the action of lining up.

noun

troopsmilitary unitqueuelineprocession

Measure word · 个, 支, 条

Examples

。
Zhè zhī duì wu zhèng zài xùn liàn.
This troop is training.
队伍。
Chāo shì mén kǒu pái le yì tiáo cháng duì wu.
A long queue formed at the supermarket entrance.
队伍。
Wǒ men gōng sī zǔ zhī le yì zhī zhì yuàn zhě duì wu.
Our company organized a volunteer team.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

'队' group, '伍' unit; together: an organized line or body.

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 隊; 队 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阜阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

㒸

㒸㒸隊duì

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

The traditional form 隊 has 阜 as the meaning part and 㒸 as the sound part.

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

亻五伍

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

五

五wǔ伍wǔ

Same sound today

伍 is written with 亻, a person, and 五, which gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Groups & Organizations Military & Defense 2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words 3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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