Taxonomy of meanings for 戰:　　

  • 戰 zhàn (OC: tjans MC: tɕiɛn) 之膳切 去 廣韻：【懼也恐也又姓之膳切二 】
    • BATTLE
      • nab.post-V{NUM}acta battle
      • nabactwarfare
      • nadNbattle-
      • vadVin battle
      • viactengage in battle, give battle; be professionally engaged in an act of warfare [NB: giving battle is not a vi2. The use of 戰 with two subjects is actually not very common.]
      • vt+prep+NmutualDELETE to engage (someone) in battle 與X戰
      • vt1post.vt2oNgo to war against; go to battle against; wage war against
      • vtoNcausativecause (the people etc) to fight, send into battle
      • vtoNcausativebe made to go to battle
      • vtoNpassivebe gone to battle with
      • vi2actengage in battle with each other
      • nabactbattleCH
      • v2.+prep+NN=placeengage in battle with each other in the place NDS
      • abstract: general> WARFARE
        • nabactwarfare
        • generalised:personal> FIGHT
          • nabactviolent conflict; going to battle; fighting it out; warfare
          • vadNdesigned for fighting
          • vi2engage in military work; (abstract:) be in conflict with each other; engage in military struggles
          • vtoNcausativecause to fight each other
          • viactgive battle
          • vtpost-.VtoNagainstfight against
          • vtpost-.VtoN為“for” Nfight (for N)CH
          • vtoNfight the NDS
      • symptom> TREMBLE
        • vadNtrembling, shivering
        • vi.redtremble all over
        • vitremble (out of fear or reverential awe)
        • causative> SHAKE
          • psychological> FEAR
            • vishiver with fear
            • vtoNfear intensely

      Additional information about 戰

      說文解字: 【戰】，鬬也。 〔小徐本「鬬」作「鬥」。〕 从戈、單聲。 【之扇切】

        Criteria
      • FEAR

        1. The most general word for any kind of passing fear is probably jù 懼 and this word naturally links with yōu 憂 "worry", and this word refers to a momentary historical moment where that fear manifested itself ( 文王乃懼 "then King Wén got scared"). Jù sǐ 懼死 is momentary fear for one's life, whereas wèi sǐ 畏死 refers to a general state where one is too frightened to sacrifice one's life.

        2. Kǒng 恐 refers primarily to intense or overwhelming possibly passing state of fear, and the word differs from jù 懼 mainly in degree of intensity and in the managability of the danger faced.

        3. Wèi 畏 is typically a stable state of reasoned fear, typically relating those who are in authority (the etymologically related wēi 威 on which relation there is much word-play in texts like ZUO), or ghosts etc, but the word also has extended generalised uses, as in wèi sǐ 畏死 "be afraid to die".

        4. Jīng 驚 refers to the sudden onset of fear when someone is faced with an unexpected danger.

        5. Lì 栗 / 慄 and zhàn 戰 is to shiver with intense fear, and the physical expression of fear can be more prominent the inner feeling expressed through shivering.

        6. Qiè 怯 "chicken-livered and unlikely to undertake risky tasks" and nuò 懦 (ant. yǒng 勇 "courage, boldness") as well as dàn 憚 "unduly prone to feelings of fear" refer to being pusilanimousness or the lack or courage where courage is required.

        7. Bù 怖 "be in a current acute state of fear" has no weakened generalised uses.

        8. Sǒng 悚 / 聳 "be fretful, given to fear; get slightly frightened" refers to mild forms of (possibly superfluous or reprehensible) fear.

        9. Jì 悸 refers to symptoms of violent heart-beat caused by intense fear.

        NB: Pà 怕 is post-Buddhist (TANG).

      • FIGHT

        1. The current general word for any form of conflict or competition is zhēng 爭 (ant. ràng 讓 "give polite precedence to"). However, the word specifically focusses on competition rather than physical violence.

        2. Dòu 鬥, ōu 毆 and the rarer bó 搏 (ant. què 卻 "withdraw from conflict") refer to physical interpersonal violence and struggle.

        3. Jìng 競 (ant. tuì 退 "withdraw from conflict") refers to intense competiton.

        4. Shì fēi 是非 refers to a primarily non-physical verbal conflict, but in extended usage it can refer to any political dissension or conflict.

        5. Fèn 奮 refers to a fierce physical strugge, often for a higher aim.

        6. Zhàn 戰 (ant. hé 和 "make peace; hold the peace") normally refers to armed conflict (see BATTLE) but the word can occasionally refer to an inner struggle in one's chest: zwei Seelen wohnen, ach, in meiner Brust.

        NB: Dāng 當 can refer to facing an opponent in battle, and the word is marginal in this group.

      • ATTACK

        [ASCENDING/DESCENDING]

        [CIVIL/MILITARY]

        [COMMENDATORY/DEROGATORY]

        [COVERT/OVERT]

        [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

        [LARGE-SCALE/SMALL-SCALE]

        1. The general word for any attack is gōng 攻 (ant. shǒu 守 "defend"; success kè 克 ) which can be used in a general sense referring to all kinds of attack, although that word does also have the specific meaning of a pointed campaign against a certain locality. (Note 戰必勝，攻必克。 )

        [GENERAL]

        2. Fá 伐 refers to a large-scale typically destructive formal attack by one state on another, typically formally announced, and with much beating of drums.

        [DESCENDING], [MILITARY!], [LARGE-SCALE!], [OVERT]

        3. Qīn 侵 refers to a less formal attack, typically unannounced beforehand, and typically aimed at taking the enemy's territory.

        [COVERT!], [DEROGATORY], [MILITARY], [SPECIFIC]

        4. Xí 襲 refers to a surreptitious attack, on the sly, without any self-righteous pomp.

        [COVERT+], [MILITARY], [SPECIFIC]

        5. Zhēng 征 refers to a typically punitive campain of some size against a state, construed as being of lower status.

        [COMMENDATORY], [DESCENDING], [MILITARY], [LARGE-SCALE], [OVERT]

        6. Tǎo 討 refers to a an extended explicitly punitive campaign by someone who construes himself as being in moral authority and entitled to uphold rectitude and morality through warfare. (Also figurative as in 天討有罪 "Heaven punishes those who are guilty". See PUNISH)

        [COMMENDATORY], [DESCENDING+], [MILITARY], [OVERT]

        7. Wéi 圍 refers specifically to military attack by surrouding the enemy.

        [MILITARY], [OVERT], [SPECIFIC]

        8. Kòu 寇 refers derogatorily to a wanton enemy attack.

        [DEROGATORY+], [MILITARY]

      • BATTLE

        [ACTION/PROCESS]

        [BASIC/MARGINAL]

        [[COMMON/RARE]]

        [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

        [INOFFICIAL/OFFICIAL]

        [LASTING/TEMPORARY]

        1. The general term is zhàn 戰 (ant. hé 和 "ceasing of hostilities, ceasefire") and refers to any military engagement at a given time.

        [GENERAL], [TEMPORARY]

        2. An extended official and centrally organised campaign lasting some time and viewed as a task for the military is yì 役.

        [PROCESS], [LASTING]

        3. Zhēng 征 refers to an official military campaign as conducted by a state. See ATTACK

        [ACTION], [LASTING], [OFFICIAL]

        4. Chén 陳 refers to the the forming of a battle array. See BATTLE ARRAY

        [SPECIFIC]

        5. Jūn 軍 can come to refer generally to military action or military campaigns of any kind.

        [ACTION], [MARGINAL]; [[RARE]]

      • DESIRE

        1. The dominant standard word is yù 欲 (ant. fú 弗 "refused to, would not") which refers to any concrete - and typically temporary - intention or desire of any kind, irrespective how strongly motivated it is. 欲戰 "wants to fight".

        2. Hào 好 (ant.* yàn 厭 "be fed up with VPing") refers to a general strong, and strongly motivated, inclination in favour of something. 好戰 "is fond of warfare".

        3. Tān 貪 refers to an exaggerated and inapropriate degree of craving something.

        4. Shì 嗜 (ant. wù 惡 "dislike") refers to a stable and deeply ingrained constant desire for something, often a reprehensible craving.

        5. Gān 甘 derives its special force from the culinary meaning "have a taste for" and refers to any predilection, typically for material things.

        6. Shì yù 嗜慾 / 嗜欲 is the abstract technical term for appetitive urges which need to be moderated and kept under control.

      • BEFORE

        When did 戰前 "before the battle" become current????

        Word relations
      • Subject: (BATTLE)罷/STOP Bà 罷 is to deliberately discontinue a course of action one is embarked on, particularly a military action.
      • Result: (BATTLE)克 / 剋/WIN Kè 克 (ant. shī 失 "lose in battle") refers to subduing an enemy force by military means, winning against an enemy so as to control him as a result.
      • Result: (BATTLE)破/DEFEAT Pò 破 (ant. quán 全 "leave intact") refers to a complete routing of an opponent.
      • Result: (FIGHT)勝/WIN The current general word for winning or gaining the upper hand in any way, including warfare, is shèng 勝 (ant. bài 敗 "be defeated").
      • Assoc: (TREMBLE)竦 / 悚/FEAR
      • Assoc: (TREMBLE)栗/FEAR Lì 栗/慄 and zhàn 戰 is to shiver with intense fear, and the physical expression of fear can be more prominent the inner feeling expressed through shivering.
      • Assoc: (FIGHT)鬥/FIGHT Dòu 鬥, ōu 毆 and the rarer bó 搏 (ant. què 卻"withdraw from conflict") refer to physical interpersonal violence and struggle.