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处刑 (chǔ xíng) — to execute a sentence; to condemn (to a punishment, especially the death penalty)

Definition

A formal/legal term for executing a criminal sentence, especially carrying out the death penalty. Less common than everyday 执行 and specifically denotes the act of carrying out a court-imposed punishment.

verb
to execute a sentenceto condemn (to a punishment, especially the death penalty)

Examples

  • ，处刑。
    Fǎ yuàn pàn jué hòu, fàn rén bèi lì jí chǔ xíng.
    After the court's verdict, the criminal was immediately executed.
  • 处刑。
    Zhè zhǒng zhòng zuì huì bèi chǔ xíng wèi sǐ xíng.
    This kind of serious crime will be condemned to the death penalty.
  • 处刑。
    Fǎ guān xuān bù le chǔ xíng de rì zi.
    The judge announced the date of the execution.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

处chùcarry out
刑xíngpunishment

“处” means carry out and “刑” means punishment, together expressing carrying out a 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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →

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 →
Appears in
Law & Justice

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