驻扎 (zhù zhā) — to station (troops); to be stationed | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used for military or diplomatic units being posted to a place for a period of time. Pairs with a location (驻扎在…), unlike 镇, which can also mean a small town.

verb

to station (troops)to be stationed

Examples

驻扎。
Bù duì zhù zhā zài biān jìng xiǎo zhèn.
The troops are stationed in a small border town.
驻扎。
Zhè zhī jūn duì zhù zhā le wǔ nián.
This army has been stationed for five years.
驻扎。
Tā men fèng mìng zhù zhā zài yán hǎi dì qū.
They were ordered to be stationed in the coastal area.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

驻zhùstation

“驻” (station) and “扎” (settle) join to mean garrison troops.

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 駐; 驻 is its simplified writing.

馬主駐

Meaning part形符xíngfú

馬馬mǎhorse

Sound part声符shēngfú

主

主zhǔ駐zhù

Same sound today

The traditional form 駐 uses 馬, a horse, for the meaning and 主 to give the sound; the simplified 驻 is a shorthand.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

乙

乙yǐ扎zhā

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

扎 is built from 手 (hand) and 乙, which gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Military & Defense

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