挟制 (xié zhì) — to coerce, to force someone to do one's bidding

Definition

Formal verb meaning to coerce or force someone into doing what you want, often through leverage or pressure. Implies the victim has little real choice and submits unwillingly.

verb
to coerce, to force someone to do one's bidding

Examples

  • 挟制。
    Tā shì tú xié zhì duì shǒu.
    He tried to coerce his opponent.
  • 挟制，。
    Gōng sī bèi jìng zhēng duì shǒu xié zhì, bù dé bù gǎi biàn jì huà.
    The company was coerced by competitors into having to change its plans.
  • 挟制。
    xié zhì Tā rén shì yì zhǒng bú dào dé de xíng wéi.
    Coercing others is an immoral behavior.

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.

挟xiéseize
制zhìcontrol

To 挟 (seize) and 制 (control) someone.

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 挾; 挟 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
夾
夾jiā挾xié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 挾 uses 扌, the hand shape also written 手, and 夾 as the sound part.

Open 挟 →

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

The form 制 pairs 朱 (tree) with 刀 (knife), showing the act of cutting a tree.

Open 制 →

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