Definitions
(noun)
dagger-axe
Etymology
Pictograph of a weapon with a long shaft and horizontal blade.
About
The character "戈" began as a pictogram for a dagger-axe, an ancient pole weapon with a horizontal blade, and its visual structure has consistently featured strokes that suggest this blade mounted on a shaft. Originally denoting that specific weapon, its meaning broadened over centuries to refer to weapons collectively and then to ideas of warfare or conflict, as seen in classical compounds like "干戈" for arms. In contemporary usage, it primarily serves as a radical within other characters, such as "戰" or "戍", where it typically contributes a semantic element related to combat or martial activities.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
戈壁是一个沙漠。
干戈不是好东西。
他倒戈投向敌人。
兵戈之声令人恐惧。
戈壁滩上气候恶劣。
古代人们使用干戈。
在冲突中，倒戈是危险的。
戈壁的地理环境非常独特。