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阵势 (zhèn shì) — (figurative) situation, circumstances, scene (often implying scale or intensity); (military) disposition of forces, battle formation

Definition

Literally 'battle formation,' now used more broadly for the scale, intensity, or momentum of a scene or situation (often with a sense of impressive display).

noun
(figurative) situationcircumstancesscene (often implying scale or intensity)(military) disposition of forcesbattle formation

Examples

  • 阵势。
    Dí jūn bǎi kāi le jìn gōng de zhèn shì.
    The enemy deployed an offensive formation.
  • 阵势，。
    Kàn dào zhè zhǒng zhèn shì, tā yǒu diǎn jǐn zhāng.
    Seeing this kind of situation, he was a bit nervous.
  • 阵势，。
    Hūn lǐ de zhèn shì hěn dà, lái le jǐ bǎi wèi kè rén.
    The wedding scene was grand, with hundreds of guests.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

阵zhènformation
势shìsituation

阵 and 势 together describe a formation and the situation or momentum it presents.

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 陣; 阵 is its simplified writing.

  • 東東dōngsack?
  • 東東dōng
  • 攴攴pū

In the traditional form 陣, a left-side part was added to a shortened 東; the older shape also used 攴. The simplified 阵 is a later shorthand.

Open 阵 →

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 勢; 势 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì勢shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 勢 combines 力, meaning power, with 埶 for the sound. The simplified 势 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 势 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsMilitary & Defense

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