惩办 (chéng bàn) — to punish (in a formal/legal context); to take disciplinary action against

Definition

A formal/legal verb meaning 'to punish' or 'take disciplinary action against', used for crimes or serious violations. Stronger and more official than the everyday 处罚.

verb
to punish (in a formal/legal context)to take disciplinary action against
Easily confused

Examples

  • 惩办。
    Fǎ yuàn yī fǎ chéng bàn le tān wū fàn.
    The court punished the embezzler according to law.
  • 惩办。
    Gōng sī duì wéi guī yuán gōng jìn xíng le yán sù chéng bàn.
    The company carried out severe disciplinary action against the violating employee.
  • 惩办。
    Zhè ge àn jiàn de zhǔ fàn yǐ jīng bèi chéng bàn.
    The main culprit in this case has already been punished.

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.

惩chéngpunish
办bànhandle

惩 means punish, and 办 means handle; the two actions combine into formal disciplinary action.

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 懲; 惩 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
徵
徵zhǐ懲chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 懲 pairs 心 (heart) with 徵 as its sound part; the simplified 惩 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 惩 →

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 辦; 办 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
辡
辡biàn辦bàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 辦 combines 力 (strength) with 辡, which gives the sound; the simplified 办 is a later shorthand.

Open 办 →

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