侵略

• Pinyin: qīn lüè
• Hanzi breakdown: 侵 = 亻+ 帚 + 又 (a person advancing with a broom — to encroach gradually); 略 = 田 + 各 (to survey the fields — to plunder, to seize territory)

Meaning

Aggression; to invade and occupy another country or territory through military force; military invasion.

A strong political and military term referring to armed invasion or occupation of another country or sovereign territory. Carries a strong negative and accusatory connotation. Common in historical discussion, political rhetoric, and international law. Appears in compounds such as 侵略战争 (war of aggression) and 反抗侵略 (resist aggression). A politically charged word in East Asian historical contexts.

Examples

1. 二战期间，法西斯势力对多个国家发动了野蛮的军事侵略，造成了难以估量的人员伤亡与物质损失。 During World War II, fascist forces launched brutal military aggression against multiple countries, causing immeasurable loss of life and property.
2. 被侵略国的人民奋起抵抗，历经数年浴血奋战，终于将侵略者驱逐出境。 The people of the invaded country rose up to resist and, after years of bloody fighting, finally drove the invaders out.
3. 国际法明确禁止以武力侵略他国，任何违反这一原则的行为都将受到国际社会的谴责。 International law clearly prohibits using force to invade other countries, and any violation of this principle will be condemned by the international community.

Usage Guide

Context: history, politics, international law

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 二十世纪上半叶，帝国主义列强对亚非拉地区发动了大规模殖民侵略，强行掠夺资源、奴役当地人民，造成了长达数十年的历史创伤。(In the first half of the twentieth century, imperialist powers launched large-scale colonial invasions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, forcibly plundering resources and enslaving local peoples, causing historical trauma that lasted for decades.)
• 联合国安理会就该国军队越境进入邻国领土一事召开紧急会议，多数成员国认为此举构成武装侵略，要求立即无条件撤军。(The UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting over the country's military crossing the border into a neighbouring country's territory; the majority of member states considered the action to constitute armed aggression and demanded immediate and unconditional withdrawal.)

Don't Say

• 他侵略了我的私人空间 — 侵略 refers specifically to military or territorial invasion; for personal boundary violations say 侵犯了我的私人空间 (invaded my personal space) or 打扰了我的私人领域 (intruded on my private domain)

Origin & History

侵 (to encroach/invade) + 略 (to plunder/seize) — to invade and plunder

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal