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March 24, 2026
誅zhū(zhu1)
The character 誅 (zhū) means to execute or punish, often in a severe manner. It is used in formal contexts relating to legal actions or historical references to capital punishment. Its connotation can imply a sense of justice or retribution.
Strokes13Radical言Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
The concept of execution and punishment is deeply rooted in Chinese history, particularly regarding dynastic laws and Confucian principles of justice. The character is often found in classical literature discussing moral and legal philosophy.
Memory Tip
Imagine a judge with a gavel (the radical 言, meaning 'speech' or 'words') declaring a punishment. The sound 'zhū' can be remembered as the sound of a gavel striking, emphasizing authority in executing justice.
Meanings of 誅
zhū(zhu1)
1to execute, to kill; to punish
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 誅
誅Simplified
13Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 誅
Podcast: 誅
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AI Study Notes for 誅
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a judge with a gavel (the radical 言, meaning 'speech' or 'words') declaring a punishment. The sound 'zhū' can be remembered as the sound of a gavel striking, emphasizing authority in executing justice.
Usage Notes
誅 is typically used in formal or literary contexts rather than casual conversation. Common mistakes include using it interchangeably with simpler terms for 'kill' like 杀 (shā), which has a broader usage. Be mindful of the tone and register when using this character.
HSK Study Tips
As this character is not included in the HSK levels, learners should focus on its usage in historical texts or formal writings. It connects to other legal-related terms and characters like 罚 (fá, to punish) and 刑 (xíng, punishment).
Cultural Note
The concept of execution and punishment is deeply rooted in Chinese history, particularly regarding dynastic laws and Confucian principles of justice. The character is often found in classical literature discussing moral and legal philosophy.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 誅 with the more common 杀 (shā), leading to oversimplification of its severe connotation. For example, saying '他被杀了' (tā bèi shā le) instead of using 誅 when referring to a judicial execution misses the formal context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 誅
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Cultural Notes for 誅
🏮Cultural insight
The concept of execution and punishment is deeply rooted in Chinese history, particularly regarding dynastic laws and Confucian principles of justice. The character is often found in classical literature discussing moral and legal philosophy.
Word Family of 誅
Words Containing This Character14
诛zhūto punish誅
口诛笔伐to denounce by word and pen口誅筆伐
诛杀to kill誅殺
伏诛to be executed伏誅
诛灭to wipe out誅滅
诛戮to put to death誅戮
诛除to wipe out誅除
族诛to execute all of sb's relatives (as punishment) (old)族誅
诛心之论a devastating criticism誅心之論
诛锄to uproot誅鋤
斧钺之诛to die by battle-ax (idiom); to be executed斧鉞之誅
诛求无厌incessant exorbitant demands誅求無厭
诛锄异己to wipe out dissenters誅鋤異己
诛求无已to make endless exorbitant demands誅求無已
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 诛 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 誅
Not commonly; it's more prevalent in historical texts and discussions about ancient law.
No, it is a formal term and should be reserved for serious discussions.
You might consider words like 罚 (fá) for 'punish' or 刑 (xíng) for 'punishment' in more casual or general contexts.
