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束缚 (shù fù) — to bind, to restrict, to fetter (usually figuratively)

Definition

Used almost entirely figuratively to mean being constrained mentally or socially (思想/自由/创造力 'bound'). 扎 and 绑 are physical tying; 结 is a knot or neutral tying. 束缚 is what you feel, not what you do with rope.

verb
to bindto restrictto fetter (usually figuratively)

Examples

  • 束缚。
    Chuán tǒng guān niàn shù fù le rén men de sī xiǎng.
    Traditional concepts have bound people's thinking.
  • 束缚。
    Tā bú yuàn yì bèi jiā tíng zé rèn shù fù.
    She is unwilling to be bound by family responsibilities.
  • 束缚。
    Zhè xiē fǎ lǜ bú yīng gāi shù fù gōng mín de zì yóu.
    These laws should not restrict citizens' freedom.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

束shùbind
缚fùtie

束 and 缚 both mean to bind or tie, together expressing being tied down or restricted.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The shape of 束 comes from a drawing of a bag tied at both ends.

Open 束 →

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 縛; 缚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū縛fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 縛 combines 糸 (rope) with 尃 as a sound part; the simplified 缚 is a shorthand.

Open 缚 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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