Chinese word

行列

Pronunciation

Pinyinháng liè

Meaning

  • nounline

Example

车站检票口前排着很长的行列。chē zhàn jiǎn piào kǒu qián pái zhe hěn cháng de háng liè

There is a long line in front of the station ticket gate.

Illustration for 行列 (line)

More examples

志愿者们排入救援的行列，参与灾后重建工作。zhì yuàn zhě men pái rù jiù yuán de háng liè cān yù zāi hòu chóng jiàn gōng zuò

The volunteers joined the ranks of those providing relief and took part in post-disaster reconstruction.

Core concept

People or objects occupy successive places along one direction, forming a visible order.

Common phrases

  • 排入行列pái rù háng liè

    join the ranks

  • 脱离行列tuō lí xíng liè

    leave the ranks

Similar words

队伍duì wǔ: An orderly group of people standing one after another.
队列duì liè: A single-file formation of people or things arranged in order.
长队cháng duì: A long line of people or things extending over a considerable distance.

Definition in Chinese

排成一列的人或物的队伍；按一定顺序排列的一列。pái chéng yí liè de rén huò wù de duì wǔ àn yí dìng shùn xù pái liè de yí liè

Word origin

The compound 行 (háng, "row") + 列 (liè, "rank") reinforces the idea of people or things placed in an ordered row.

Usage tips

  • The noun names the resulting arrangement, while a verb phrase is needed for the action of getting into it, a useful distinction in station and event notices.

Other meanings

  • formationnoun

Related words

  • 行列式xíng liè shìdeterminantnoun

Word lists with this word