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戒律 (jiè lǜ) — (Buddhist) religious discipline, precepts; commandment, strict rule

Definition

Originally Buddhist precepts (monastic rules), now used more broadly for any strict code of conduct or discipline. Carries a religious or formal tone, stronger than everyday 规则.

noun
(Buddhist) religious disciplinepreceptscommandmentstrict rule
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 戒律，。
    Fó jiào jiè lǜ fēi cháng yán gé, bù róng wéi fǎn.
    Buddhist precepts are very strict and cannot be violated.
  • 戒律。
    Tā yán gé zūn shǒu gōng sī de jiè lǜ.
    He strictly follows the company's rules.
  • 戒律。
    Zhè xiē jiè lǜ shì měi gè xìn tú dōu bì xū zūn shǒu de.
    These commandments must be followed by every believer.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

戒jièprecept
律lǜrule

The senses of 戒 and 律 combine to denote precepts and rules.

Characters in this word

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

  • 戈戈gēhalberd
  • 廾廾gǒnghands

戒 shows 廾 (hands) and 戈 (a halberd) together: hands holding up a weapon as a warning.

Open 戒 →

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
聿
聿yù律lǜ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

律 puts 彳 beside 聿: 彳 is the part tied to the meaning, and 聿 is the part tied to the sound.

Open 律 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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