处置 (chǔ zhì) — to handle, to deal with, to take care of; to pu…

Definition

处置 covers two distinct senses: handling/dealing with something (often with finality, like disposing of waste) and formally punishing a person — closer in tone to 处分 than to the neutral 处理. For routine 'handle a problem', 处理 or 应付 fits better.

verb

to handleto deal withto take care ofto punish, to take disciplinary action against

Examples

处置。
Zhè ge àn zi xū yào jǐn kuài chǔ zhì.
This case needs to be handled quickly.
处置。
Lǐng dǎo yán lì chǔ zhì le fàn cuò de yuán gōng.
The leader severely punished the employee who made a mistake.
处置。
Zhè xiē guò qī yào pǐn bì xū ān quán chǔ zhì.
These expired medicines must be disposed of safely.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

处chùdeal with

置zhìarrange

处 means to deal with and 置 means to arrange; together they mean handling or punishing.

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.

虍夂几處

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.

罒直置

Meaning part形符xíngfú

罒Written in full as网wǎng

Sound part声符shēngfú

直

直zhí置zhì

Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →

Appears in