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Referring to military service with 役 (yì)
Explanation
役 (yì) is a noun meaning "military service," "duty," or "campaign." It appears in compounds like 预备役 (reserve duty), 服役 (to serve in the military), and 战役 (battle/campaign). It is a formal, literary word rarely used on its own in modern speech.
Examples
他服役三年后光荣退伍了。
Tā fúyì sān nián hòu guāngróng tuìwǔ le.
He was honorably discharged after three years of service.
那场战役是整个战争的转折点。
Nà chǎng zhànyì shì zhěnggè zhànzhēng de zhuǎnzhédiǎn.
That battle was the turning point of the entire war.
年满十八岁的公民有义务服兵役。
Niánmǎn shíbā suì de gōngmín yǒu yìwù fú bīngyì.
Citizens who have reached the age of eighteen have the obligation to serve in the military.
他服役三年后光荣退伍了。
Tā fúyì sān nián hòu guāngróng tuìwǔ le.
He was honorably discharged after three years of service.
那场战役是整个战争的转折点。
Nà chǎng zhànyì shì zhěnggè zhànzhēng de zhuǎnzhédiǎn.
That battle was the turning point of the entire war.
年满十八岁的公民有义务服兵役。
Nián mǎn shíbā suì de gōngmín yǒu yìwù fú bīngyì.
Citizens who have reached the age of eighteen have the obligation to serve in the military.