紧箍咒 (jǐn gū zhòu) — (literal) the tightening-crown spell from Journey to the West; (figurative) an inescapable restriction or binding constraint

Definition

From Journey to the West: the magic spell that tightens the crown on Sun Wukong's head, controlling him. Figuratively, any inescapable restriction or pressure that binds someone.

noun
(literal) the tightening-crown spell from Journey to the West(figurative) an inescapable restriction or binding constraint

Examples

  • 紧箍咒。
    Sūn wù kōng zuì pà táng sēng niàn jǐn gū zhòu.
    Sun Wukong was most afraid of Tang Seng reciting the tightening-crown spell.
  • 紧箍咒，。
    Gōng sī de guī dìng xiàng jǐn gū zhòu yí yàng, ràng tā bù gǎn fàng sōng.
    The company regulations are like a binding spell, keeping him from relaxing.
  • 紧箍咒。
    Zhè ge zhèng cè de jǐn gū zhòu xiào yìng ràng hěn duō rén gǎn dào yā lì.
    The binding effect of this policy puts a lot of pressure on people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

紧箍tight hoop
紧jǐntight箍gūhoop
偏正Modifier + head
咒zhòuspell

紧 means tight, 箍 means hoop, and 咒 means spell: a tight-hoop spell that binds and controls.

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 緊; 紧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
臤
臤qiān緊jǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緊 pairs 糸 (thread) with 臤 as a sound part; the simplified 紧 is a later shorthand.

Open 紧 →

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
㧜
㧜㧜箍gū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

箍 is made from 竹 (bamboo) plus 㧜, with 竹 contributing the meaning and 㧜 contributing the sound.

Open 箍 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 咒 →

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