conscript; press-gang; impress
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to conscript able-bodied young men for military service (esp. by force in old China); to press-gang
archaicHistorical term with negative connotations, describing the arbitrary seizure of young men by government officials or warlords for military service in old China.
Jiù旧
shè社
huì会
，
qióng穷
rén人
zuì最
pà怕
bèi被
zhuā抓
zhuàng壮
dīng丁
。
In the old society, poor people feared most being press-ganged into the army.
Tā他
shí十
liù六
suì岁
nà那
nián年
bèi被
zhuā抓
zhuàng壮
dīng丁
，
cóng从
cǐ此
lí离
kāi开
le了
jiā家
xiāng乡
。
He was conscripted at the age of sixteen and left his hometown ever since.
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Guó国
mín民
dǎng党
shí时
qī期
jīng经
cháng常
zhuā抓
zhuàng壮
dīng丁
，
lǎo老
bǎi百
xìng姓
yuàn怨
shēng声
zài载
dào道
。
During the Nationalist period, forced conscription was common and the people complained bitterly.