赎 (shú) — to redeem (an item from pawn or pledge); to ransom (a person)
Definition
赎 (shú) means to buy something back — typically pawned goods from a pawnshop, or a person held captive (ransom). Unlike 偿还 or 返还, it implies reclaiming what is still 'yours' rather than paying back a debt.
verb
to redeem (an item from pawn or pledge)to ransom (a person)
Examples
- 。Tā bǎ shǒu biǎo shú huí lái le.He redeemed his watch.
- 赎。Bǎng fěi yāo qiú yòng yì bǎi wàn shú rén zhì.The kidnappers demanded one million to ransom the hostage.
- 赎。Tā bǎ xiàng liàn cóng dàng pù shú le huí lái.He redeemed the necklace from the pawn shop.
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 贖; 赎 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧶠
𧶠𧶠贖shú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 贖 pairs 貝 (shell) with the sound part 𧶠; the simplified 赎 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.
Appears in
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