Meaning
战 is a fundamental Chinese character meaning 'war' or 'to fight.' It can refer to military combat, conflict, or campaign. As a verb, it means to engage in battle or warfare. It can also mean 'to tremble' or 'to shiver,' though this usage is less common in modern Mandarin.
Usage
战 is frequently used in compound words related to military matters, conflict, and competition. It appears in formal contexts when discussing warfare, historical battles, or strategic operations. In modern usage, it's often combined with other characters to form words like 战争 (war), 战斗 (combat), or 战略 (strategy). The standalone character is less common in casual speech.
Examples
- 01这场战争持续了三年。.This war lasted three years.
- 02我们必须战胜困难。.We must overcome difficulties.
Measure words
- 场一场战争
Common collocations
- 战胜to defeat, to conquer
- 作战to fight, to conduct combat operations
- 战场battlefield
- 宣战to declare war
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 戰 consists of the radical 戈 (spear/weapon) on the right and 單 on the left. The weapon radical clearly indicates the military/combat meaning, while the phonetic component provides pronunciation guidance.