队伍 meaning in English

队伍 can mean a physical line or procession, an army, or the staff of an organization, such as 教师队伍 (the teaching staff). It is a bit more formal and collective than 队 alone. Example: 门口的队伍很长。(Ménkǒu de duìwu hěn cháng.) The line at the entrance is very long.

队 (duì) means a team or line, and 伍 (wǔ) has 人 (person) on the left with 五 (five) on the right, like a small group of five soldiers. Put many groups of people together in a row and you get 队伍, a troop or a line of people.

Common mistake: Learners often say 队伍 for a single sports team, but for that 球队 (qiúduì) or 队 is more natural, and 队伍 sounds like a large group or ranks. Also note the second syllable is often read lightly as duìwu, though the dictionary tone is wǔ, the same as 五.