违宪 (wéi xiàn) — to violate the constitution

Definition

Formal/legal verb meaning 'to violate the constitution', used in political and judicial contexts. Typically appears in the passive (被认定违宪) or with the negative (不能违宪).

verb
to violate the constitution

Examples

  • 违宪。
    Zhè ge fǎ lǜ bèi rèn dìng wéi xiàn.
    This law was found to violate the constitution.
  • 违宪。
    Zhèng fǔ de xíng wéi bù néng wéi xiàn.
    The government's actions must not violate the constitution.
  • 。
    Gāi guó lì shǐ shàng cóng wèi wéi guò yí cì xiàn.
    In that country's history, the constitution has never been violated even once.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

违wéiviolate
宪xiànconstitution

违 “violate” and 宪 “constitution” combine to mean breaking constitutional rules.

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 違; 违 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi違wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 違 pairs 辶, which shows walking, with 韋 to give the sound. The simplified 违 is a later shorthand.

Open 违 →

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 憲; 宪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡩜
𡩜𡩜憲xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 憲 pairs 心 (heart) with 𡩜, a sound component whose form depicts a punishment involving tattooing the eyes; the simplified 宪 is a later shorthand.

Open 宪 →

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