引咎辞职 (yǐn jiù cí zhí) — to take the blame and resign (from a leadership position)

Definition

A formal, chengyu-style phrase for a leader who voluntarily steps down to take responsibility for a serious mistake or scandal. Used mainly in news and official contexts about politicians or executives.

idiom
to take the blame and resign (from a leadership position)

Examples

  • ，引咎辞职。
    Yīn wèi xiàng mù shī bài, jīng lǐ yǐn jiù cí zhí le.
    Because the project failed, the manager took the blame and resigned.
  • 引咎辞职，。
    Tā yīn chǒu wén yǐn jiù cí zhí, lí kāi le gōng sī.
    He took the blame and resigned due to the scandal, leaving the company.
  • 引咎辞职，。
    Zhè wèi guān yuán yǐn jiù cí zhí hòu, gōng zhòng biǎo shì lǐ jiě.
    After this official took the blame and resigned, the public expressed understanding.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

引咎take blame
引yǐntake咎jiùblame
动宾Verb + object
辞职resign
辞círesign职zhíposition
动宾Verb + object

引咎 (take blame) and 辞职 (resign) combine to mean resigning after accepting responsibility.

Characters in this word

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

  • 弓弓gōngbow
  • 丿丿piěindicatory stroke

引 is made from 弓, a bow, and 丿, a short slant stroke added at the place where the string is pulled, marking the action of drawing or pulling.

Open 引 →

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

The old form paired 人 (person) with 夊 (foot); 口 (mouth) was later added to make 咎.

Open 咎 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 辞 →

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 職; 职 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí職zhí
Same sound today

The traditional form 職 pairs 耳 (ear) with 戠, which gives its sound; the simplified 职 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 职 →

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