4

The verb shoot appears often in Chinese international news. But I am unclear about the different words for it.

射击 and 开枪 seem to be the firing of a gun and 击中，射中 hitting with a weapon, but could someone clarify the difference?

My dictionary says "hit with missile". Can any of these words be used for a rocket / missile attack too or are they only applicable to handguns and sporting guns?

I also wonder why the word 中 is part of these words in the context of shooting.

Thank you very much.

Improve this question
1
  • 枪 specifically refers to some sort of "gun", so phrases with it would be inappropriate for, say, missiles and rockets.
    – user5714
    Nov 20, 2015 at 21:44

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5
  • 射击 is "shooting".
  • 开枪 is "to pull the trigger (on a gun)".

So a shooting sport would be called 射击運動, and cover fire is called 掩護射击.

  • 击中 means "hitting".
  • 射中 means "hitting with a flying object".

It works with a self-propelled missile/artillery shell/arrows etc too.

The 中 is there to to contribute the meaning of a "hit" to the terms. 射 without 中 is only "shooting"; with 中 it becomes "shooting and hitting"

Improve this answer
6
  • 2
    thank you so much, that helps a lot, especially the first 2 words. About the last two if you don't mind, would 射中 then be used more for arrows and long range missiles and 击中 seems to be more the direct hit of a bomb or handgun?
    – user5763
    Jun 12, 2014 at 5:15
  • 2
    Not really; 射中 basically works with anything you shoot. 擊中 doesn't have to be about missile objects; it just means a hit. You can use it for a fist, for instance.
    – Semaphore
    Jun 12, 2014 at 5:22
  • 2
    I see, I notice it being used for soccer shots too now, ty
    – user5763
    Jun 12, 2014 at 5:26
  • 1
    中(zhong4) in 击中 and 射中 is the key meaning, hitting or goal, of the words. 击 and 射 just emphasize how to archive the target.
    – thinwa
    Nov 23, 2015 at 5:01
  • 1
    @user2550062 That's basically what I said already, except 击 and 射 does not "emphasize" in any meaningful sense of the word. They provide additional info.
    – Semaphore
    Nov 23, 2015 at 5:15

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.