预备役 (yù bèi yì) — reserve duty (in the military)

Definition

noun

reserve duty (in the military)

预备役。
Tā jiā rù le yù bèi yì.
He joined the reserve duty.
预备役。
yù bèi yì Shì bīng měi nián dōu yào cān jiā xùn liàn.
Reserve soldiers must participate in training every year.
，预备役。
Tuì yì hòu, tā réng rán zài yù bèi yì fú yì.
After retiring from active service, he still serves in the reserve.

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.

预备prepare in advance

预yùbeforehand备bèiprepare

偏正Modifier + head

役yìservice

预备 means to prepare in advance, and 役 names service or duty.

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 預; 预 is its simplified writing.

予頁預

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yè

Sound part声符shēngfú

予

Same sound today

The traditional form 預 combines 予 for the sound and 頁 for the meaning; the simplified 预 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 備; 备 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 備 shows a person carrying a quiver, matching the meaning 'ready; prepared'; the simplified 备 is a later abbreviation.

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

彳殳役

役 pairs 彳 (movement) with 殳 (a weapon like a spear) to show someone moving with a weapon to guard a border, giving the idea of a duty or task.

Appears in