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谪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谪zhéto censure, to blame; to exile, to banishvg, 13 strokes, radical 讠
谪zhéto relegate a high official to a minor post in an outlying region (punishment in imperial China)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 讠
谪zhéto banish or exileunknown, 13 strokes, radical 讠
谪zhé(of immortals) to banish from Heavenunknown, 13 strokes, radical 讠
zhé(zhe2) T2
  1. 1to censure, to blame; to exile, to banish
  2. 2to relegate a high official to a minor post in an outlying region (punishment in imperial China)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

谪(謫)zhé(zhe2)

The character 谪 (zhé) conveys the meanings of censure or blame, often in the context of punishment or exile. It is frequently used in historical and literary contexts to refer to the act of relegating someone, particularly officials, to a lower status or remote location as a form of punishment, reflecting a significant aspect of imperial governance in China.

Strokes13Radical讠
Cultural Note

In ancient China, exiling officials was a common political strategy to maintain control and manage dissent, making 谪 a significant term in discussions about governance and morality in Chinese history.

Memory Tip

Imagine a high official (the character's structure suggests authority) being sent away from the palace (the horizontal line above) to a distant land (the lower part resembles a pathway). This visualization helps remember that 谪 means to banish or blame someone, echoing the sound 'zhé' with the imagery of an official's demotion.

Meanings of 谪

zhé(zhe2)
1to censure, to blame; to exile, to banish
2to relegate a high official to a minor post in an outlying region (punishment in imperial China)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 谪

谪Simplified
謫Traditional
13Strokes
讠Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 谪

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Podcast: 谪

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AI Study Notes for 谪

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, especially in literature or historical discussions. Common mistakes include using it in everyday conversation where simpler terms like '责备' (zébèi, to blame) might be more appropriate. Pay attention to the fourth tone of 'zhé' to avoid confusion with similarly pronounced characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK standard levels, 谪 is relevant for learners interested in classical literature or historical texts. Students should connect it with terms related to punishment and governance, enhancing their understanding of historical context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 谪 with similar-sounding characters like 折 (zhé, to break) or 拒 (jù, to refuse). A common error is to use 谪 when referring to a simple blame, whereas it's more appropriate for formal contexts of punishment.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谪

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Etymology of 谪

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

speech

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 谪

  1. 1The meaning half讠 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 谪? 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 谪?

Decomposition of 谪

IDS Structure⿰讠啇
谪Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
啇di4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 谪?

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

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

The character 谪 (zhé) conveys the meanings of censure or blame, often in the context of punishment or exile. It is frequently used in historical and literary contexts to refer to the act of relegating someone, particularly officials, to a lower status or remote location as a form of punishment, reflecting a significant aspect of imperial governance in China.

When to use 谪

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, especially in literature or historical discussions. Common mistakes include using it in everyday conversation where simpler terms like '责备' (zébèi, to blame) might be more appropriate. Pay attention to the fourth tone of 'zhé' to avoid confusion with similarly pronounced characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 谪 with similar-sounding characters like 折 (zhé, to break) or 拒 (jù, to refuse). A common error is to use 谪 when referring to a simple blame, whereas it's more appropriate for formal contexts of punishment.

Write 谪

谪

Practice writing 谪 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 谪

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 谪

While both can mean to blame, 谪 specifically refers to a formal punishment or exile, whereas 责 is more general and can simply mean to reproach.

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