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謫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
謫zhéto censure, to blame; to exile, to banishx, 18 strokes, radical 言
zhé(zhe2) T2
  1. 1to censure, to blame; to exile, to banish
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March 24, 2026

謫zhé(zhe2)

The character 謫 (zhé) primarily means to censure or blame someone, often in a formal or serious context. Additionally, it can refer to the act of exile or banishment, suggesting a punishment for wrongdoing. This character is commonly used in literary or historical texts discussing moral judgments or consequences.

Strokes18Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, especially classical texts, 謫 is often associated with historical figures who faced exile due to political reasons, reflecting the cultural significance of honor and moral conduct in society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a judge holding a scroll (the character's radical 言, meaning 'speech') while pointing at a person being exiled. The judge's stern 'zhé' (sounds like 'judge') voice echoes through the courtroom, emphasizing the blame and punishment being handed down.

Meanings of 謫

zhé(zhe2)
1to censure, to blame; to exile, to banish
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 謫

謫Simplified
18Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 謫

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Podcast: 謫

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AI Study Notes for 謫

Quick Contrast

谴 (qiǎn) - use 謫 (zhé) for formal censure or exile, while 谴 (qiǎn) is more about moral condemnation without the exile aspect.

Usage Notes

When using 謫, it's important to keep the context formal, as it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Common collocations include 謫罪 (to be blamed) and 謫居 (to live in exile). Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing it, as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 謫 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it connects with intermediate-level words related to judgment and punishment. Students should focus on understanding its nuanced meanings and practice using it in sentences that reflect its formal nature.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 謫 with 責 (zé) due to the similarity in meaning. For example, saying '我謫他' instead of '我責備他' (meaning 'I blame him') is incorrect; the former implies a more severe consequence, such as exile.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 謫

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Etymology of 謫

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)言
+
Phonetic (sound)啇
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 謫

  1. 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half啇 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspeech
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 謫? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 謫?

Decomposition of 謫

IDS Structure⿰言啇
謫Full Character
=
言yan2
left
啇di4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 謫?

How to say to censure, to blame; to exile, to banish in Chinese

“to censure, to blame; to exile, to banish” in Chinese is謫zhé

The character 謫 (zhé) primarily means to censure or blame someone, often in a formal or serious context. Additionally, it can refer to the act of exile or banishment, suggesting a punishment for wrongdoing. This character is commonly used in literary or historical texts discussing moral judgments or consequences.

When to use 謫

When using 謫, it's important to keep the context formal, as it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Common collocations include 謫罪 (to be blamed) and 謫居 (to live in exile). Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing it, as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

謫 or something close to it

谴 (qiǎn) - use 謫 (zhé) for formal censure or exile, while 谴 (qiǎn) is more about moral condemnation without the exile aspect.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 謫 with 責 (zé) due to the similarity in meaning. For example, saying '我謫他' instead of '我責備他' (meaning 'I blame him') is incorrect; the former implies a more severe consequence, such as exile.

Write 謫

謫

Practice writing 謫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 謫

Words Containing This Character4
谪zhéto censure謫
贬谪to relegate貶謫
谪居(of officials in imperial China) to live in banishment謫居
谪戍in exile as penal servitude謫戍
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 谪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 謫

While 謫 implies a formal censure or banishment, 指責 (zhǐzé) is more about pointing out faults or criticizing someone's actions in a less formal context.

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