battle formation; military formation
Refers to the arrangement of troops or units in a battle or military context. Also used metaphorically for strategic positioning in games or sports.
We attacked when the enemy's formation collapsed.
In this game, forming a good formation is the key to victory.
Compound of 陣 (battle camp, formation) and 形 (shape, form). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination directly conveys 'battle formation'.