戒除 (jiè chú) — to break, to quit (a bad habit or addiction)

Definition

A formal verb meaning to break off and get rid of a bad habit or addiction — stronger and more deliberate than just 停止. Almost always paired with an addiction or vice (烟瘾, 饮酒, 坏习惯).

verb
to breakto quit (a bad habit or addiction)

Examples

  • 戒除。
    Tā yòng le bàn nián shí jiān zhōng yú jiè chú le yān yǐn.
    It took him half a year to finally quit his smoking addiction.
  • 戒除。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì tā chè dǐ jiè chú yǐn jiǔ.
    The doctor advised him to completely quit drinking alcohol.
  • 戒除。
    jiè chú Huài xí guàn xū yào hěn qiáng de yì zhì lì.
    Breaking a bad habit requires strong willpower.

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.

戒jièquit
除chúremove

戒 (quit) and 除 (remove) combine to mean getting rid of a bad habit.

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
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú除chú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

除 is built from 阜 and 余, with 余 giving the sound.

Open 除 →

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