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责罚 (zé fá) — to punish (formal, literary)

Definition

A formal, written word for 'to punish' someone for wrongdoing. Stronger in tone than everyday 罚 and reads more like 处罚 (literary register).

verb
to punish (formal, literary)

Examples

  • 责罚。
    Xué xiào jué dìng yán jiā zé fá nà ge zuò bì de xué shēng.
    The school decided to severely punish the student who cheated.
  • 责罚，。
    Fù mǔ bù yīng suí yì zé fá hái zi, ér yìng nài xīn jiào dǎo.
    Parents should not punish children arbitrarily, but should teach them patiently.
  • 责罚。
    Cǐ rén yīn fàn fǎ ér shòu dào zé fá.
    This person was punished for breaking the law.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

责zéblame
罚fápunish

责 and 罚 both convey blame and punishment, together meaning to punish.

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 責; 责 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì責zé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 責 pairs 貝, cowry/money, with 朿 as the sound part; the simplified 责 is a later shorthand.

Open 责 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 罰; 罚 is its simplified writing.

  • 詈詈lìabuse verbally
  • 刀刀dāoknife

The traditional form 罰 pairs 詈 (abuse verbally) with 刀 (knife); verbal abuse and improper use of a knife represent a crime. The simplified 罚 is a later abbreviation.

Open 罚 →
Appears in
Law & Justice

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