谴责 (qiǎn zé) — to condemn, to denounce (strongly)

Definition

谴责 is a strong, public 'to condemn' — usually aimed at an injustice or wrongdoing, heavier than 指责 or 批评. Distinct from 批判, which targets ideas/ideology, and 判处, which is a court's legal sentence.

verb
to condemnto denounce (strongly)

Examples

  • 谴责。
    Guó jì shè huì qiáng liè qiǎn zé zhè zhǒng bào lì xíng wéi.
    The international community strongly condemns this kind of violent behavior.
  • 谴责。
    Tā de bú dàng yán lùn zāo dào gōng zhòng de qiǎn zé.
    His inappropriate remarks were condemned by the public.
  • 谴责。
    Wǒ men yán zhèng qiǎn zé yí qiè xíng shì de kǒng bù xí jī.
    We sternly condemn all forms of terrorist attacks.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

责zéblame

谴 and 责 both mean blame, giving a strong denunciation.

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 譴; 谴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
遣
遣qiǎn譴qiǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 譴 has 言, showing speech, and 遣, giving the sound. The simplified 谴 is a later shorthand.

Open 谴 →

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 責; 责 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì責zé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 責 pairs 貝, cowry/money, with 朿 as the sound part; the simplified 责 is a later shorthand.

Open 责 →

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