卒 (zú) - soldier & private

卒Tone 2

zú ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 十

志

卒 · zú

soldier;

private;

to die;

to finish;

finally;

in the end;

pawn in Chinese chess

soldierprivateto die

Usage highlights

soldierpawn in chessto diefinallyinfantrysmall soldier

Synonyms

  • 兵— soldier; military
  • 士— scholar; soldier (in chess)
  • 死— to die

Antonyms

  • 生— to live; to be born
  • 将— general; commander

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He served as a soldier (士兵) in the army.
  • The old man passed away (去世) peacefully.
  • The game finally (终于) ended.
  • This is a pawn (卒子) in Chinese chess.

Collocations

  • soldier(士兵)
  • pawn in chess(卒子)
  • to die(卒死)
  • finally(卒于)
  • infantry(步卒)
  • small soldier(小卒)

Idioms

  • To die without a proper burial(暴卒)
  • An insignificant pawn(马前卒)
  • Unexpected death(仓卒)
  • To serve until death(效死卒)
  • The end of life(生卒)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient Chinese military, 卒 referred to the lowest rank of soldier, often infantry.
  • In Chinese chess (象棋), 卒 is the pawn piece that can only move forward until crossing the river, then can move horizontally.
  • The character carries connotations of finality and completion, as seen in classical texts.

FAQ