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独裁 (dú cái) — (noun) dictatorship; autocracy; despotism

Definition

A noun for a political system in which one ruler holds absolute power — 'dictatorship / autocracy.' Often used in historical or political commentary to describe a regime's structure, not the leader personally.

noun
dictatorshipautocracydespotism

Examples

  • 独裁。
    Nà ge guó jiā de rén mín zhèng zài fǎn kàng dú cái tǒng zhì.
    The people of that country are resisting dictatorial rule.
  • 独裁。
    Lì shǐ shàng de jǐ gè dú cái zhèng quán dōu zuì zhōng bèi tuī fān le.
    Several dictatorial regimes in history were eventually overthrown.
  • 独裁，。
    Zhè zhǒng zhì dù hěn róng yì huá xiàng dú cái, shī qù rén mín de xìn rèn.
    This kind of system can easily slide into dictatorship and lose the people's trust.

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.

独dúalone
裁cáidecide

“独” means alone and “裁” means decide, giving the idea of deciding without others.

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 獨; 独 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ獨dú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獨 pairs 犬 (dog) with 蜀, which gives the sound; the simplified 独 is a shorthand.

Open 独 →

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
衣衣yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢦏
𢦏𢦏裁cái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

裁 combines 衣 (clothing) with 𢦏, whose form is tied to a blade and an arrow, to show cutting fabric.

Open 裁 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6Government & Politics

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