戍 (shù) · to garrison; to guard a frontier

Meanings

1 to garrison; to guard a frontier
2 frontier garrison duty

Characters

戍

shù

to garrison; to guard a frontier

Examples

HSK 5

古代常派人远戍他乡。

Gǔdài cháng pài rén yuǎn shù tāxiāng.

In ancient times men were often sent on long garrison service far away.

HSK 7-9

战士戍守边疆，保卫家园。

Zhànshì shùshǒu biānjiāng, bǎowèi jiāyuán.

The soldiers guarded the frontier and protected the homeland.

Tips

usage

Mostly literary or historical: 戍守 (to garrison and defend) and 戍边 (to guard the frontier). Note the close look-alikes 戊 (a Heavenly Stem) and 戌 (an Earthly Branch); the inside mark differs.

Components

radical

戊 wù

halberd shape

The weapon frame, built on the dagger-axe 戈 (the indexing radical). It pictures a soldier holding a weapon to defend the border. Its strokes wrap around the inner dot.

ideograph

丶 zhǔ

guarding mark

The single dot inside stands in for the person on guard, distinguishing this character from the empty-framed 戊. It carries the idea of someone stationed at the post.