进攻

• Pinyin: jìn gōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 进 = 辶 + 井, to advance; 攻 = 工 + 攵, to attack

Meaning

To attack; to go on the offensive. Military or sports term for aggressive forward action.

Used in military contexts for offensive operations and in sports for attacking play. 进攻 is the opposite of 防守 (defense). Common collocations include 发起进攻 (launch an attack), 进攻型 (offensive type), and 进攻端 (offensive end, in sports). Can also be used metaphorically for aggressive business or competitive strategies.

Examples

1. 球队在下半场加强了进攻，终于扳回一球。 The team intensified their offense in the second half and finally scored a goal back.
2. 最好的防守就是进攻，这是他们的战术理念。 The best defense is offense — that's their tactical philosophy.
3. 敌军从三个方向同时发起进攻，形势非常危急。 The enemy launched attacks from three directions simultaneously; the situation was extremely critical.

Usage Guide

Context: military, sports, strategy

Tone: dynamic

Do Say

• 全队进攻！(Whole team attack!)
• 这支球队进攻能力很强。(This team has strong offensive capabilities.)

Don't Say

• 用进攻形容言语攻击，如'他进攻了我的观点' (For verbal attacks, use 攻击 or 抨击 instead of 进攻)

Origin & History

Compound of 进 (to advance, to enter) + 攻 (to attack). Literally 'advance and attack' — moving forward aggressively.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal