Kilo Lingo

(jìn gōng) - to attack, to go on the offensive in Mandarin

jìngōng

Traditional: 進攻

#2403 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

to attack, to go on the offensive

Word origin

进 (jìn, to advance) with 攻 (gōng, to assault), so to advance and strike: the offensive as a movement forward.

Origin
compound
Root
进 (jìn, to advance) + 攻 (gōng, to assault)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 进

Stroke order for 攻

Examples

The army began its attack after daybreak.

They attacked from both sides at once.

This team attacks very strongly.

The enemy's attack failed.

We decided to attack tomorrow morning.

进攻 (jìn gōng) is to attack in the sense of taking the offensive: an army advancing on a position, a football side pressing forward. The 进 keeps the idea of movement towards the enemy, so it describes a campaign rather than a single blow.

Contrast it with 攻击 (gōng jī), which is the strike itself and stretches to hackers, insults and immune systems. A general orders 进攻; a newspaper says a politician 攻击 his rival. Swapping them is not disastrous, but it marks you out.

It doubles as a noun with no change of form. 他们的进攻 is their offensive, and sports commentary uses it that way constantly.

Where this fits

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Mandarin · Free printables

进攻: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "进攻" (to attack, to go on the offensive): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

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This word is part of lesson 49.