自由权 (zì yóu quán) — constitutional freedoms; rights and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution

Definition

A formal legal/political term for freedoms enshrined in a constitution. Refers to the constitutional right(s) themselves, not everyday personal freedom.

noun
constitutional freedomsrights and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution

Examples

  • 自由权。
    Xiàn fǎ bǎo zhàng le gōng mín de jī běn zì yóu quán.
    The constitution guarantees citizens' basic freedoms.
  • 自由权。
    Zhè ge guó jiā de zì yóu quán fǎ lǜ fēi cháng wán shàn.
    The constitutional freedom laws in this country are very well-developed.
  • 自由权。
    Tā men tōng guò fǎ lǜ dòu zhēng wéi hù le zì jǐ de zì yóu quán.
    They defended their constitutional freedoms through legal struggle.

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.

自由freedom
自zìself由yóufollow
偏正Modifier + head
权quánright

自由 means freedom and 权 means right, describing rights that guarantee freedom.

Characters in this word

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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

It began as a drawing of new shoots or leaves growing upward from a plant-like base.

Open 由 →

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 權; 权 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn權quán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 權 shows 木, a tree, with 雚 giving the sound; it named a kind of tree and was used for a standard weight. The simplified 权 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 权 →

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