Chinese word

队形

Pronunciation

Pinyinduì xíng

Meaning

  • nounformation

Example

请大家保持队形，慢慢走。qǐng dà jiā bǎo chí duì xíng màn màn zǒu

Everyone, stay in formation and walk slowly.

Illustration for 队形 (formation)

More examples

乐队慢慢排成队形，准备进场。yuè duì màn màn pái chéng duì xíng zhǔn bèi jìn chǎng

The band slowly formed up and got ready to enter.

Core concept

The visible arrangement that lets a moving or stationary group act as one unit.

Common phrases

  • 排成队形pái chéng duì xíng

    form into a formation

  • 组成队形zǔ chéng duì xíng

    form a formation

Similar words

队伍duì wǔ: An organized group of people moving or standing together as a unit.
队列duì liè: An orderly line of people or objects arranged one after another.
编队biān duì: A coordinated group of aircraft or ships traveling in a set arrangement.
阵形zhèn xíng: A tactical arrangement adopted by a team or military unit for a specific purpose.

Definition in Chinese

个体在移动或静止时保持的相对位置和排列方式，用于维持秩序或达到战术、表演等目的。gè tǐ zài yí dòng huò jìng zhǐ shí bǎo chí de xiāng duì wèi zhì hé pái liè fāng shì yòng yú wéi chí zhì xù huò dá dào zhàn shù biáo yǎn děng mù dì

Word origin

队形 (duìxíng, "formation") joins 队 (duì, "group") with 形 (xíng, "shape"), so its meaning centers on the shape and spacing of a group.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may associate this word mainly with soldiers or aircraft, but everyday Chinese also uses it for tour groups, children, and performers moving in an orderly arrangement.

Other meanings

  • columnnoun
  • flight formationnoun

Word lists with this word