特警
tèjǐng
The Chinese word for swat is 特警 (tèjǐng).
Meaning: to beat off, as insects, to bat, strike, or hit (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
tèjǐng
Did you know?
- The term 特警 actually refers to 'Special Police' rather than the act of swatting an insect. In Chinese, there is no single word for 'to swat' that functions as a noun for a tactical unit.
- The character 特 in 特警 is also used to describe 'special' offers or 'exclusive' deals in shopping. Using the same word for elite police and a sale creates an interesting linguistic contrast.
- The word 警 in 特警 comes from a root meaning 'to be startled' or 'alert'. This suggests that the core of policing in the Chinese language is the state of being vigilant.
Examples in context
- 拍打蚊子是一个很好的方式，以防止被叮咬。Swatting mosquitoes is a good way to prevent getting bitten.
- 小明用手打掉了那只蚊子。Xiaoming swatted away the mosquito with his hand.
Example conversation
Junjie and Zihan are watching a news report about a police operation.
- 俊杰 Junjie你看，特警已经出动了。nǐ kàn, tèjǐng yǐjīng chūdòng le.Look, the SWAT team has already been deployed.
- 梓涵 Zihan他们看起来非常专业。tāmen kàn qǐlái fēicháng zhuānyè.They look very professional.
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，特警的装备很先进。shì de, tèjǐng de zhuāngbèi hěn xiānjìn.Yes, the SWAT equipment is very advanced.
- 梓涵 Zihan希望这次任务能成功。xīwàng zhè cì rènwù néng chénggōng.I hope this mission will be successful.
