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责难 (zé nàn) — to censure, to blame (formally)

Definition

责难 is a formal verb meaning to censure or blame someone publicly, stronger than everyday words like 批评. It usually appears with 受 (受到责难) rather than as the main verb.

verb
to censureto blame (formally)

Examples

  • 责难。
    Tā zài huì yì shàng shòu dào le yán lì de zé nàn.
    He was severely censured at the meeting.
  • 责难。
    Méi tǐ fēn fēn zé nàn zhèng fǔ de bú zuò wèi.
    The media one after another censured the government's inaction.
  • 责难。
    Zhè zhǒng bú fù zé rèn de xíng wéi yīng dāng shòu dào zé nàn.
    This kind of irresponsible behavior should be censured.

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
难nánreproach

责 'blame' and 难 'reproach' work together to mean censure.

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 →

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 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
暵
暵hàn難nán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

Open 难 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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