直系军阀

the Zhili faction of the Northern Warlords

surname Zhi / Zhi (c. 2000 BC), fifth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God

straight / to straighten / fair and reasonable / frank / straightforward / (indicates continuing motion or action) / vertical / vertical downward stroke in Chinese characters

directly related

to connect / to relate to / to tie up / to bind / to be (literary)

system / department / faculty

to tie / to fasten / to button up

to connect / to arrest / to worry

(bound form) army / military

military clique / junta / warlord

powerful individual, family or group / clique / (loanword) valve