请命 (qǐng mìng) — to plead for someone's life or on behalf of someone; to ask for instructions or orders (from a superior)

Definition

A formal, written verb with two main senses: 'to plead on someone's behalf' (often for their life or cause) and 'to ask a superior for orders'. It is rhetorical/literary, not used in everyday speech.

verb
to plead for someone's life or on behalf of someoneto ask for instructions or orders (from a superior)

Examples

  • 请命。
    Tā duō cì wèi bǎi xìng qǐng mìng.
    He pleaded on behalf of the people many times.
  • 。
    Zhè wèi yì shì céng wèi qiú fàn qǐng guò yí cì mìng.
    This righteous man once pleaded for a prisoner.
  • ，。
    Jiāng jūn yǐ xiàng cháo tíng qǐng le mìng, děng hòu zhǐ shì.
    The general has already asked the court for instructions and is awaiting orders.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

请qǐngrequest
命mìnglife/order

请命 combines 请 'request' with 命 'life/order', giving the sense of pleading for life or asking for instructions.

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 請; 请 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng請qǐng
Same sound today

In the traditional form 請, 言 shows it relates to speaking, and 青 gives the sound; the simplified 请 is a later shorter form.

Open 请 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →

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