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不轨 (bù guǐ) — seditious; against the law or societal norms (often implying plotting or rebellion)

Definition

Used almost only in fixed phrases like 图谋不轨 and 不轨行为 to describe plotting illegal or rebellious acts. It is not a standalone verb — the sense 'seditious, unlawful' lives in the collocation.

verb
seditiousagainst the law or societal norms (often implying plotting or rebellion)

Examples

  • 不轨。
    Tā bèi zhǐ kòng tú móu bù guǐ.
    He was accused of plotting sedition.
  • 不轨。
    Gōng sī nèi bù chū xiàn le bù guǐ xíng wéi.
    Improper (seditious) behavior appeared inside the company.
  • 不轨。
    Jǐng chá mì qiè zhù yì zhe nà xiē bù guǐ fēn zǐ.
    The police are closely watching those unlawful elements.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

不bùnot
轨guǐrule

不 (not) + 轨 (rule) means acting against accepted rules.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 軌; 轨 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
九
九jiǔ軌guǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軌 pairs 車 (cart) with 九 as a sound part; the simplified 轨 is a later shorthand.

Open 轨 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

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