绞杀 (jiǎo shā) — to strangle (physically); to stifle, to suppress, to kill off (an idea, movement, etc.)

Definition

Verb meaning 'to strangle' in both the physical sense (killing by constriction) and the figurative sense (stifling or suppressing an idea, movement, or competition). The two senses are linked by the image of cutting off something's air or growth.

verb
to strangle (physically)to stifleto suppressto kill off (an idea, movement, etc.)

Examples

  • 绞杀。
    Xiōng shǒu yòng shéng zi jiǎo shā le shòu hài zhě.
    The murderer strangled the victim with a rope.
  • 绞杀。
    Zhèng fǔ shì tú jiǎo shā zhè chǎng gǎi gé yùn dòng.
    The government tried to stifle this reform movement.
  • 绞杀。
    Lǒng duàn qǐ yè huì jiǎo shā shì chǎng jìng zhēng.
    Monopolistic enterprises can stifle market competition.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

绞jiǎotwist/strangle
杀shākill

绞 is twisting or strangling, and 杀 is killing; together they express strangling or crushing.

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 絞; 绞 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
交
交jiāo絞jiǎo
Same sound today

The traditional form 絞 pairs 糸 (thread) with 交 as the sound part; the simplified 绞 is a later abbreviation.

Open 绞 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 殺; 杀 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 殺 comes from an old drawing of a boar impaled in the head, with 人 and 又 added to show a person doing the killing; the simplified 杀 is a later abbreviation.

Open 杀 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.