conscript able-bodied men; press-gang
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to conscript able-bodied men for military service; to press-gang
historicalRefers to the historical practice of forcibly drafting men into the army, especially common during the Republican era (1912–1949) and earlier. Often carries a negative connotation implying coercion. The variant form 抽丁 is commonly used as shorthand.
Jiù旧
shè社
huì会
，
dì地
zhǔ主
è恶
bà霸
cháng常
cháng常
chōu抽
zhuàng壮
dīng丁
qù去
dāng当
bīng兵
。
In the old society, local tyrants and landlords often conscripted able-bodied men to serve as soldiers.
Tā他
yé爷
ye爷
nián年
qīng轻
shí时
chà差
diǎn点
bèi被
chōu抽
zhuàng壮
dīng丁
zhuā抓
zǒu走
。
His grandfather was almost press-ganged when he was young.
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Chōu抽
zhuàng壮
dīng丁
zhì制
dù度
zài在
Mín民
guó国
shí时
qī期
fēi非
cháng常
pǔ普
biàn遍
。
The system of conscripting able-bodied men was very common during the Republican period.