奇兵

qíbīng

noun #22,738

Measure Word

一支奇兵 zhī

Meanings

1 surprise troops
2 unconventional forces used in ambush or raids
3 wild card force

Characters

unusual / unconventional / surprise

soldier / troops / weapon

Examples

将军派出一支奇兵从侧翼突袭敌人。

Jiāngjūn pài chū yī zhī qíbīng cóng cèyì tūxí dírén.

The general sent a surprise force to attack the enemy from the flank.

这支球队是本届比赛中的一匹黑马，可谓一支奇兵。

Zhè zhī qiúduì shì běn jiè bǐsài zhōng de yī pǐ hēimǎ, kě wèi yī zhī qíbīng.

This team was the dark horse of the tournament — a true surprise force.

Tips

usage

奇兵 comes from classical military strategy. 奇 here means 'unconventional / surprise' (as opposed to 正 'regular / orthodox'). The pairing 正奇 (orthodox and surprise tactics) is a core concept in Sun Tzu's 'Art of War'.

Stroke Order

奇 qí

兵 bīng