海军

• Pinyin: hǎi jūn
• Hanzi breakdown: 海 = 氵 (water) + 每 (every), meaning sea; 军 = 冖 (cover) + 车 (chariot), meaning army

Meaning

Navy; naval forces. The branch of a country's military that operates at sea.

Common collocations: 海军基地 (naval base), 海军陆战队 (marines), 海军蓝 (navy blue). The Chinese navy is officially called 中国人民解放军海军. Also used metaphorically in colors (海军蓝) and fashion (海军风).

Examples

1. 这位将军在海军服役了三十多年，参与过多次重要行动。 This general served in the navy for over thirty years and participated in many important operations.
2. 中国海军近年来发展迅速，建造了多艘现代化舰艇。 China's navy has developed rapidly in recent years, building many modern vessels.
3. 她穿了一件海军风条纹衫，配上白色短裤，看起来很清爽。 She wore a navy-striped shirt paired with white shorts, looking very refreshing.

Usage Guide

Context: military, fashion, news

Tone: official

Do Say

• 他是一名海军军官。(He is a naval officer.)
• 这件外套是海军蓝的。(This jacket is navy blue.)

Don't Say

• 把海军和海警混淆 (Don't confuse 海军 with 海警 — 海军 is the military navy, 海警 is the coast guard)

Origin & History

Compound of 海 (sea, ocean) + 军 (army, military). A direct term for sea-based military forces.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal