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通缉 (tōng jī) — to put on a wanted list; to order the arrest of (a criminal)

Definition

A formal/police term: authorities issue a 令 (notice) to arrest a specific suspect. Used in news and legal contexts, not everyday speech. Often appears in the set phrase 通缉令 ('wanted notice') and with 通缉犯 ('wanted criminal').

verb
to put on a wanted listto order the arrest of (a criminal)

Examples

  • 通缉。
    Tā yīn jīng jì fàn zuì bèi jǐng fāng tōng jī.
    He was wanted by the police for economic crimes.
  • 。
    tōng jī Lìng yǐ jīng tiē mǎn le zhěng gè chéng shì.
    Wanted notices have been posted all over the city.
  • ，。
    Jīng guò yí gè yuè zhuī bǔ, jǐng fāng zhōng yú zhuā dào le zhè míng tōng jī fàn.
    After a month of pursuit, the police finally caught this wanted criminal.

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.

通tōnggeneral/widely
缉jīarrest/search

通 means general or widely and 缉 means to arrest or search for, giving the sense of a widely circulated arrest order.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

Open 通 →

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 緝; 缉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
咠
咠qì緝jī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緝 pairs 糸 (silk) with 咠 as a sound part; the simplified 缉 is a later shorthand.

Open 缉 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Crime & Police

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