防御工事 (fáng yù gōng shì) — fortifications, defense works

Definition

noun
fortificationsdefense works
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 防御工事。
    Shì bīng men zhèng zài xiū jiàn fáng yù gōng shì.
    The soldiers are building fortifications.
  • 防御工事。
    Zhè zuò fáng yù gōng shì jiàn yú míng cháo.
    This defense work was built in the Ming Dynasty.
  • 防御工事。
    Dí rén wú fǎ tū pò wǒ men de fáng yù gōng shì.
    The enemy cannot break through our defenses.

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.

防御defense
防fángdefend御yùresist
联合Side by side
工事works
工gōngengineering事shìworks
偏正Modifier + head

防御 (defensive) and 工事 (works) together mean defensive works.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng防fáng
Same sound today

防 pairs 阝 (written fully as 阜) with 方, which gives the sound.

Open 防 →

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
卩卩jiékneeling person
Sound part声符shēngfú
午
午wǔ御yù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form combines 午 and 卩, a kneeling person; walking signs add action, and the whole form means govern.

Open 御 →

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

The shape of 工 is a picture of a bladed tool used to plow ground or mark a border; some read it as a carpenter's square.

Open 工 →

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

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Open 事 →

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