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电刑 (diàn xíng) — electric torture (using electric shocks to inflict pain); electrocution (execution by the electric chair)

Definition

电刑 covers two distinct uses: inflicting pain (torture/interrogation) versus execution by electric chair. The context — 逼供 vs 废除死刑 — tells you which sense is meant.

noun
electric torture (using electric shocks to inflict pain)electrocution (execution by the electric chair)

Examples

  • 电刑。
    Lì shǐ shàng yǒu xiē guó jiā céng yòng diàn xíng lái bī gòng.
    Some countries historically used electric torture to extract confessions.
  • ，电刑。
    Fèi chú sǐ xíng hòu, diàn xíng yě bèi jìn zhǐ le.
    After the abolition of the death penalty, electrocution was also prohibited.
  • 电刑。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō xiáng xì miáo xiě le diàn xíng de cán kù.
    This novel describes in detail the cruelty of electric torture/execution.

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.

电diànelectric
刑xíngpunishment

The meaning comes from 电 specifying the kind of 刑, i.e. punishment or torture done by electricity.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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
Crime & Police

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