诛 (zhū) — (bound form) to punish; to execute (in literary/formal contexts)
Definition
A literary bound form meaning 'to punish / execute,' almost always seen in set phrases like 诛杀, 口诛笔伐, and 天诛地灭 — not used alone in modern speech.
bound form
to punishto execute (in literary/formal contexts)
Examples
- 诛。Zhè zhǒng bào jūn zuì zhōng bèi zhū shā le.This tyrant was finally executed.
- 诛。Tā de xíng wéi zāo dào le dà jiā de kǒu zhū bǐ fá.His actions were condemned by everyone in speech and writing.
- ，诛。Tā fā shì shuō, rú guǒ sā huǎng jiù tiān zhū dì miè.He swore that if he lied, may heaven strike him down.
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.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 誅; 诛 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 誅 has 言, meaning speech, and 朱, which gives the sound. The simplified 诛 is a later shorthand.
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