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勒索 (lè suǒ) — to extort; to blackmail

Definition

勒索 means to extort money or other valuables from someone, usually by threats (legal, criminal, or moral). It implies force and is a strong, criminal term — heavier than 'pressure' or 'demand'.

verb
to extortto blackmail

Examples

  • 勒索。
    Tā bèi rén lè suǒ le yì bǐ qián.
    He was extorted a sum of money by someone.
  • 勒索。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī yīn wèi lè suǒ jìng zhēng duì shǒu duàn bèi jǐng chá diào chá le.
    This company was investigated by the police for blackmailing a competitor.
  • 勒索。
    lè suǒ Shì yì zhǒng yán zhòng de fàn zuì xíng wéi.
    Blackmail is a serious criminal act.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

勒lèforce; compel
索suǒdemand; extract

'勒' means to force and '索' means to demand, describing using force to demand money.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
革革gé
Sound part声符shēngfú
力
力lì勒lè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

勒 pairs 革 (leather), because bridles are made of leather, with 力, which gives the sound.

Open 勒 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 糸糸mìthread
  • 𣎳𣎳𣎳strip fibres off a hemp stalk

索 combines 糸 (thread) and 𣎳 (stripping fibres from a hemp stalk), showing threads or rope being pulled out from a fabric.

Open 索 →
Appears in
Crime & Police5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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