队形

• Pinyin: duì xíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 队 = 阝(settlement radical) + 人 (people) — a group stationed together; 形 = 开 + 彡 (strokes indicating visual shape) — the configuration of the group

Meaning

Formation; the spatial arrangement of a group of people or units, especially in military drills, sports, dance, or other coordinated group activities.

Used in military (阵列队形), sports (进攻队形), performance (方阵队形), and ceremonial contexts. Key expressions: 保持队形 (maintain formation), 变换队形 (change formation), 散开队形 (break formation), 整齐的队形 (orderly formation). Emphasises the visual and organisational aspect of group arrangement.

Examples

1. 阅兵式上，方阵以整齐划一的队形通过天安门广场。 In the parade, the formations marched in perfect unison through Tiananmen Square.
2. 篮球队在进攻时迅速变换队形，令对方防线措手不及。 On offense, the basketball team quickly shifted formations, catching the other side’s defense off guard.
3. 演出前，导演要求舞蹈队员反复练习队形变换，确保演出整齐美观。 Before the show, the director had the dancers repeatedly practice formation changes to ensure the performance looked orderly and polished.

Usage Guide

Context: military, sports, performance, ceremony

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 军队在训练中要求士兵无论行进速度如何变化，都必须保持整齐的队形。(The military requires soldiers in training to maintain an orderly formation regardless of changes in marching speed.)
• 足球比赛中，后卫线的队形是否紧凑，直接影响球队的防守能力。(In a football match, whether the defensive line formation is compact directly affects the team's defensive capability.)

Don't Say

• 这支歌的队形很好听 — 队形 refers to spatial arrangement, not musical quality; say 这首歌的编曲很好听 or 这首歌的旋律很优美 for musical praise

Origin & History

队 (team/squadron/group) + 形 (shape/form/configuration)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal