兵

• 拼音: bīng
• 汉字拆解: 兵 = 丘 (top component) + 八 (divide) — historically depicted hands grasping a weapon

含义

Soldier; troops. Refers to military personnel or armed forces in general.

Can refer to an individual soldier or troops collectively. Appears in many military compounds: 士兵 (soldier), 当兵 (serve in the military), 兵力 (military strength). In Chinese chess, 兵 is the name of the pawn piece. Figuratively used in idioms about strategy.

例句

1. 他高中毕业以后就去当兵了。
2. 这部电影讲的是一个年轻兵的故事。
3. 兵马俑是中国最有名的文化遗产之一。

用法指南

语境: military, history, everyday

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 他弟弟去年开始当兵了。(His younger brother started military service last year.)
• 这场战争中双方都派了很多兵。(Both sides sent many soldiers in this war.)

错误说法

• 用'兵'直接称呼军人 (Don't address a soldier directly as 兵 — it sounds blunt; use 军人 or their rank title as a respectful form of address)

起源与历史

Originally a pictograph showing two hands holding a weapon (斤, an axe). The character evolved to mean the person who holds weapons, i.e. a soldier.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal