卖身契 (mài shēn qì) — indenture for the sale of oneself or a family member (historical)

Definition

Historical contract by which a person (often a child or family member) was sold into servitude — a 契 (written contract/deed) binding the seller to a master, often for years or life.

noun
indenture for the sale of oneself or a family member (historical)
Measure word · 份

Examples

  • ，卖身契。
    Zài gǔ dài, hěn duō rén yīn wèi pín qióng bù dé bù qiān xià mài shēn qì.
    In ancient times, many people had to sign an indenture for the sale of themselves due to poverty.
  • 卖身契。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō miáo xiě le yí gè nóng mín bèi pò qiān mài shēn qì de gù shi.
    This novel describes the story of a farmer forced to sign an indenture for the sale of himself.
  • ，卖身契。
    Lì shǐ kè shàng, lǎo shī xiáng xì jiě shì le mài shēn qì de hán yì.
    In history class, the teacher explained in detail the meaning of the indenture for the sale of oneself.

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.

卖身sell oneself
卖màisell身shēnself/body
动宾Verb + object
契qìcontract/deed

“卖身” (selling oneself) specifies the “契” (contract), forming an indenture for selling oneself or a family member.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 賣; 卖 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 賣 came from an older shape that joined 出 (go out) with 買 (buy), which gives the sound. The simplified 卖 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 卖 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →

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
大大dàperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
㓞
㓞㓞契qì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

契 pairs 大 (person) with 㓞, which means 'to engrave,' showing a person making an agreement or carving something with a knife.

Open 契 →

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