绳之以法 (shéng zhī yǐ fǎ) — to bring someone to justice; to punish accordin…

Definition

A formal idiom meaning to punish someone according to law — implies the offender is being held legally accountable, not just criticized.

idiom

to bring someone to justiceto punish according to law

绳之以法。
Nà ge fǔ bài guān yuán zuì zhōng bèi shéng zhī yǐ fǎ.
That corrupt official was finally brought to justice.
，绳之以法。
Fǎ lǜ miàn qián rén rén píng děng, wéi fǎ zhě bì jiāng shéng zhī yǐ fǎ.
Everyone is equal before the law; lawbreakers will surely be punished according to law.
绳之以法。
Jǐng fāng chéng nuò huì jiāng fàn zuì fèn zǐ shéng zhī yǐ fǎ.
The police promised to bring the criminals to justice.

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 繩; 绳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

黽

黽mǐn繩shéng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繩 is built from 糸, the rope/string part, and 黽, the sound part.

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

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

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

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

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.

Appears in