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放逐 (fàng zhú) — to exile, to banish, to deport

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning to force someone to leave their country as punishment — 'to exile / banish'. Stronger and more literary than everyday words for sending someone away; usually takes 被 in passive constructions (被放逐).

verb
to exileto banishto deport

Examples

  • 放逐。
    Tā bèi fàng zhú dào le yí gè huāng dǎo.
    He was exiled to a deserted island.
  • 放逐。
    Zhèng fǔ jué dìng fàng zhú nà xiē fēi fǎ yí mín.
    The government decided to deport those illegal immigrants.
  • ，放逐。
    Zài gǔ dài, dé zuì huáng dì de rén huì bèi fàng zhú.
    In ancient times, people who offended the emperor would be exiled.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

放fàngsend away
逐zhúdrive out

放 (send away) and 逐 (drive out) combine as parallel acts of banishment.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng放fàng
Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Open 放 →

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

  • 辵辵chuòwalking
  • 豕豕shǐpig

逐 joins 辵, shown as walking, with 豕, a pig, to picture someone chasing a pig.

Open 逐 →
Appears in
Government & Politics

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