从刑 (cóng xíng) — accessory punishment (in law, e.g. deprivation of political rights)

Definition

从刑 (cōngxíng) is a law term for an accessory punishment imposed alongside a main sentence — e.g. loss of political rights or fines — rather than a standalone penalty.

noun
accessory punishment (in law, e.g. deprivation of political rights)

Examples

  • 从刑。
    Tā yīn wèi zuì xíng bèi pàn chǔ cóng xíng.
    He was sentenced to accessory punishment for his crime.
  • 从刑。
    cóng xíng Shì yì zhǒng fǎ lǜ chéng fá.
    Accessory punishment is a type of legal penalty.
  • 从刑。
    Fǎ yuàn jué dìng duì tā shí shī cóng xíng.
    The court decided to impose accessory punishment on him.

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.

从cóngsubordinate
刑xíngpunishment

从 subordinate and 刑 punishment combine to mean accessory punishment.

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 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

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
刀刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
井
井jǐng刑xíng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刑 puts 刀 (knife) beside 井. The knife part shows the punishment idea, and 井 gives the sound.

Open 刑 →

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