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诬陷 (wū xiàn) — to frame (someone), to falsely accuse with fabricated evidence

Definition

To frame someone by inventing charges or planting false evidence. Stronger than 陷害 (can mean a broader plot to entrap) and more formal than the colloquial 栽赃 (planting physical evidence).

verb
to frame (someone), to falsely accuse with fabricated evidence

Examples

  • 诬陷，。
    Tā bèi rén wū xiàn, zuò le sān nián láo.
    He was framed by someone and spent three years in prison.
  • 诬陷。
    Jǐng fāng chá míng zhè shì yì qǐ wū xiàn àn.
    The police determined that this was a case of framing.
  • ，诬陷。
    Nǐ ná bù chū zhèng jù, jiù shì zài wū xiàn wǒ.
    If you can't produce evidence, you're just framing me.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

诬wūfalsely accuse
陷xiàntrap

诬 falsely accuse and 陷 trap together mean frame someone.

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 誣; 诬 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
巫
巫wū誣wū
Same sound today

The traditional form 誣 pairs 言 (speech) with 巫 as a sound part; the simplified 诬 is a later shorthand.

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
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
臽
臽xiàn陷xiàn
Same sound today

In 陷, the older form 臽 pictured falling into a trap; 阜 was added later to differentiate it.

Open 陷 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Crime & Police

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