齐步 (qí bù) — in step (marching, military drills); uniform steps; coordinated movement

Definition

A military/marching term for walking in unison with matched steps. It refers to the action itself (like a drill command 齐步走), not the quality of synchronization.

noun
in step (marching, military drills)uniform stepscoordinated movement

Examples

  • 齐步。
    Shì bīng men tà zhe qí bù qián jìn.
    The soldiers marched forward in step.
  • 齐步，。
    Tā men zǒu dé fēi cháng qí bù, jiù xiàng yí gè rén.
    They walked in such uniform steps that it looked like one person.
  • 齐步。
    qí bù Shì jūn duì xùn liàn de jī chǔ.
    Marching in step is the foundation of military training.

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.

齐qíeven
步bùstep

The 步 steps are 齐, even and coordinated.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 齊; 齐 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 齊 pictures multiple fruits or thorns neatly arranged; the simplified 齐 is a later shorthand.

Open 齐 →

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

步 uses two 止 (foot) forms, one reversed, to show one foot stepping in front of the other.

Open 步 →

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