Definition
起兵 is a classical warfare term meaning to raise an army or start a military campaign. It is a separable verb (离合词): the verb 起 and the object 兵 can split, allowing insertion of aspect markers, measure words, or modifiers (e.g., 起了兵 'raised an army', 起过一次兵 'raised an army once'). Use it for historical, literary, or formal contexts — not casual conversation.
v.o.
to raise an armyto start a military campaign
Examples
- 起兵，。Dāngshí zhūhóu fēnfēn qǐ bīng, zhēngduó tiānxià.At that time the feudal lords rose in arms one after another, competing for the realm.
- 起兵。Tāmen juédìng qǐ bīng fǎnkàng bàozhèng.They decided to raise an army to resist the tyranny.
- ，。Tā céngjīng qǐ guò yí cì bīng, dàn hěn kuài shībài le.He once raised an army, but it failed quickly.
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