洗冤 (xǐ yuān) — to right a wrong; to clear someone's name; to vindicate oneself

Definition

Literary/classical phrase meaning to clear a wrongful accusation or restore someone's good name. Mostly seen in historical contexts (e.g., officials clearing injustices).

verb
to right a wrongto clear someone's nameto vindicate oneself

Examples

  • 洗冤。
    Zhè qǐ yuān àn zhōng yú xǐ yuān le.
    This injustice has finally been cleared.
  • 。
    Tā huā le shí nián shí jiān cái xǐ qīng zì jǐ de yuān.
    It took him ten years to clear his own name.
  • ，洗冤。
    Zài gǔ dài, guān yuán yào wèi bǎi xìng xǐ yuān.
    In ancient times, officials had to right the wrongs for the people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

洗xǐwash
冤yuāninjustice

“洗” means to wash away and “冤” means injustice, so it means clearing a wrongful charge.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
先
先xiān洗xǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洗 is built from 水 (water) and 先, which gives the character its sound.

Open 洗 →

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

The shape of 冤 is built from two parts: 冖, a cover, and 兔, a rabbit.

Open 冤 →

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