戒严法 (jiè yán fǎ) — martial law

Definition

Martial law — a legal framework (法 = law) that suspends normal civil rights when the government imposes 戒严 ('martial rule').

noun
martial law

Examples

  • 戒严法。
    Zhèng fǔ xuān bù shí shī jiè yán fǎ.
    The government declared and implemented martial law.
  • 戒严法，。
    Zài jiè yán fǎ qī jiān, dà jiā bù néng zì yóu chū rù.
    During the period of martial law, people cannot freely come and go.
  • 戒严法，。
    Gēn jù jiè yán fǎ, jūn duì kě yǐ wéi chí zhì xù.
    According to martial law, the military can maintain order.

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.

戒严martial law
戒jièdiscipline严yánstrict
主谓Subject + predicate
法fǎlaw

戒严 names martial law, and 法 names the law governing it.

Characters in this word

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

  • 戈戈gēhalberd
  • 廾廾gǒnghands

戒 shows 廾 (hands) and 戈 (a halberd) together: hands holding up a weapon as a warning.

Open 戒 →

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 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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