从严 (cóng yán) — strictly, severely (of punishment, criticism, management)

Definition

Adverb meaning 'strictly / severely', used before a verb in formal or official contexts (law, discipline, management). Pairs with verbs like 处理, 打击, 要求.

adverb
strictlyseverely (of punishment, criticism, management)

Examples

  • 从严。
    Gōng sī jué dìng cóng yán chǔ lǐ zhè cì shì gù.
    The company decided to handle this accident strictly.
  • 从严。
    Fǎ yuàn cóng yán dǎ jī fàn zuì xíng wéi.
    The court strictly cracks down on criminal acts.
  • 从严。
    Lǐng dǎo duì tā de gōng zuò cóng yán yāo qiú.
    The leader makes strict demands of his work.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

从cóngact according to
严yánstrictness

从 means acting according to; 严 means strictness, so the whole means acting on the strict side.

Characters in this word

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 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

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 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →

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