逐客令 (zhú kè líng) — order for a guest to leave (figurative: to show someone the door)

Definition

Literally 'order to expel a guest' — a fixed, literary expression used when a host bluntly dismisses someone. Almost always appears in the verb phrase 下逐客令 ('to show someone the door').

noun
order for a guest to leave (figurative: to show someone the door)
Measure word · 道

Examples

  • ，逐客令。
    Tā shuō huà tài bú kè qi, zhǔ rén zhǐ hǎo xià le zhú kè líng.
    He spoke so rudely that the host had no choice but to show him the door.
  • ，逐客令。
    Huì yì hái méi jié shù, lǎo bǎn jiù duì tā xià le zhú kè líng.
    The meeting wasn't over yet, but the boss already gave him the order to leave.
  • ，逐客令。
    Tā chá jué dào zì jǐ bú shòu huān yíng, méi děng zhǔ rén xià zhú kè líng jiù zhǔ dòng gào cí le.
    She sensed she wasn't welcome and took her leave before the host could show her the door.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

逐客drive out a guest
逐zhúdrive out客kèguest
动宾Verb + object
令lìngorder

逐客 means driving out a guest, and 令 is an order; together it names an order to leave.

Characters in this word

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

  • 辵辵chuòwalking
  • 豕豕shǐpig

逐 joins 辵, shown as walking, with 豕, a pig, to picture someone chasing a pig.

Open 逐 →

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè客kè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 客, 宀 is a roof and 各 gives the sound; the character meant a guest.

Open 客 →

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

  • 亼亼jí
  • 卩卩jié

In 令, the upper 亼 is an open mouth and the lower 卩 is a kneeling person, together showing someone giving orders.

Open 令 →

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