役 (yì) - military service & labor

役Tone 4

yì ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 彳

一懿

役 · yì

military service;

labor;

servant;

to serve;

battle;

campaign

military servicelaborservant

Usage highlights

military servicelabor serviceservantcampaignconscriptionexempt from service

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He served in the military (服兵役).
  • This is compulsory labor service (劳役).
  • They are government servants (衙役).
  • The army was dispatched on an expedition (出征战役).

Collocations

  • military service(兵役)
  • labor service(劳役)
  • servant(仆役)
  • campaign(战役)
  • conscription(征兵役)
  • exempt from service(免役)

Idioms

  • Heart is willing but strength is insufficient(心有余而力不足)
  • Unable to escape conscription(难逃兵役)
  • Exempt from corvée labor(免役免税)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically referred to corvée labor and military service obligations in imperial China
  • Associated with social hierarchy as lower-status servants and government runners were called 役
  • In modern context, primarily refers to military service and civic duties

FAQ