候审 (hòu shěn) — to await trial (in custody) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Legal term meaning 'to await trial' — usually while in detention, before the court opens the case. Sets it apart from the general-purpose 审 ('to examine / try a case').

verb

to await trial (in custody)

Examples

候审。
Xián yí rén mù qián zhèng zài hòu shěn.
The suspect is currently awaiting trial.
，。
Tā yǐ jīng hòu le bàn nián de shěn, hái méi kāi tíng.
He has been held for six months awaiting trial, and the court hasn't opened yet.
候审。
Zhè ge àn zi shè jí duō míng hòu shěn rén yuán.
This case involves multiple persons awaiting trial.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

候 means wait and 审 refers to trial; together it means waiting for trial.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

矦

矦hóu候hòu

Same sound today

候 combines 亻, relating to people, with 矦, which gives the sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 審; 审 is its simplified writing.

宀釆田審

宀宀miánroof
釆釆biànto distinguish
田田tián

The simplified 审 abbreviates the traditional 審, which is built from 宀 (roof) and 釆 (to distinguish); the lower 田 is uncertain.

Appears in

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