劝诫 (quàn jiè) — to exhort, to admonish (formally warn or urge someone to change behavior)

Definition

A formal written verb for earnestly advising or warning someone to change their behavior. Common in editorials, speeches, and public statements — more weighty than everyday 劝. Can take a person or group as the object.

verb
to exhortto admonish (formally warn or urge someone to change behavior)

Examples

  • 劝诫。
    Lǎo shī duō cì quàn jiè xué shēng bú yào chén mí yóu xì.
    The teacher repeatedly admonished students not to become addicted to games.
  • 劝诫。
    Tā quàn jiè péng you yào zūn shǒu fǎ lǜ.
    He exhorted his friend to obey the law.
  • 劝诫。
    Zhè piān shè lùn quàn jiè zhèng fǔ zhòng shì huán bǎo wèn tí.
    This editorial admonishes the government to pay attention to environmental issues.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

劝quànpersuade
诫jièadmonish

劝 means persuade, 诫 means admonish; together they mean to urge someone to change by warning them.

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 勸; 劝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn勸quàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 勸 pairs 力 (strength) with 雚 as a sound part; the simplified 劝 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 劝 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 誡; 诫 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 誡 pairs 言, speech, with 戒, read jiè and meaning guard against; the simplified 诫 is a later shorthand.

Open 诫 →

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