斥 (chì) — (bound form) to scold, to reprimand (in compounds like 斥责, 呵斥); (bound form) to repel, to exclude, to oust (in compounds like 排斥, 斥退)
Definition
A bound morpheme (never used alone) meaning 'to scold/reprimand' (as in 斥责) or 'to repel/expel' (as in 排斥, 斥退). It only appears as part of a two-character word.
bound form
to scoldto reprimand (in compounds like 斥责, 呵斥)to repelto excludeto oust (in compounds like 排斥, 斥退)
Easily confused
- 拆chāilook-aliketo take apart, to dismantle (a machine, building, etc.)
- 赤chìsound-alike(bound form) red
- 斤jīnlook-alike(classifier) Chinese unit of weight, equal to 500 g in mainland China (regional variations exist)
- 翅chìsound-alikewing (bound form, used in compounds like 翅膀)
- 炽chìsound-alike(bound form) blazing, fiercely hot
- 叱chìsound-aliketo loudly rebuke, to shout at
Examples
- 。Tā dāng zhòng chì zé le nà ge bù shǒu jì lǜ de yuán gōng.He publicly reprimanded the employee who didn't follow the rules.
- 斥。Zhè ge tuán tǐ gù yì chì chì xīn rén jiā rù.This group deliberately excludes new people from joining.
- 斥。Jīng lǐ jué dìng chì tuì nà míng shī zhí de zhí yuán.The manager decided to dismiss that negligent employee.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
屰
屰nì斥chì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
An older form paired 广 (building) with 屰 (sound part); 斥 developed from that shape.
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