阶下囚 (jiē xià qiú) — prisoner (especially one who has fallen from grace; humbled captive)
Definition
Literary term for a 'prisoner,' with a strong implication of someone powerful who has fallen from grace — a humbled captive, not an ordinary criminal.
noun
prisoner (especially one who has fallen from grace; humbled captive)
Examples
- ，阶下囚。Tā céng jīng shì quán qīng cháo yě de dà chén, rú jīn què chéng le jiē xià qiú.He was once a minister who wielded power over the entire court, but now he has become a prisoner under the steps.
- ，阶下囚，。Zhàn bài hòu, jiāng jūn lún wéi jiē xià qiú, shòu jìn qū rǔ.After the defeat, the general was reduced to a captive and suffered every humiliation.
- 阶下囚。Zhè bù xiǎo shuō miáo xiě le yí gè fù háo biàn chéng jiē xià qiú de gù shi.This novel tells the story of a wealthy tycoon who becomes a prisoner under the steps.
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