坦克

• Pinyin: tǎn kè
• Hanzi breakdown: 坦 = 土 (earth) + 旦 (dawn); 克 = 十 + 兄 — both used phonetically here

Meaning

Tank. An armored military vehicle with caterpillar tracks and a rotating turret.

A loanword from English. Refers to the heavily armored combat vehicle. Used in military, historical, and gaming contexts. Also appears in figurative expressions for something powerful or unstoppable.

Examples

1. 博物馆里陈列着二战时期的坦克，每一辆都有自己的历史故事。 The museum displays tanks from World War II, each with its own historical story.
2. 这款游戏里坦克的操控手感特别好，打起来很爽。 The tank controls in this game feel really good — it's satisfying to play.
3. 那支装甲部队配备了最先进的坦克，火力非常强大。 That armored unit is equipped with the most advanced tanks, with very powerful firepower.

Usage Guide

Context: military, gaming, historical

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 坦克开过去了。(The tank rolled past.)
• 他在游戏里玩坦克很厉害。(He's really good at playing tanks in games.)

Don't Say

• 把装甲车都叫'坦克' (坦克 specifically refers to main battle tanks — for other armored vehicles, use 装甲车)

Origin & History

Transliteration of English 'tank.' The English word was originally a code name used during WWI to disguise the development of armored vehicles.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal