Definitions

chì to scold; shout at; to hoot at

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 叱, representing the act of scolding or shouting, is structured as a phono-semantic compound combining the mouth radical 口 with the phonetic component 七, a design that directly associates it with vocal expression. Etymologically, the mouth element conveys the source of sound while the phonetic part historically provided a cue for pronunciation, aligning with early character formation principles. Over time, its semantic range shifted from encompassing general exclamations or cries in classical usage to a more specific meaning centered on sharp rebuke or authoritative command, thereby narrowing in application while maintaining its original compositional integrity across historical texts.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈责了不听话的孩子。

Māma chìzé le bù tīnghuà de háizi.

Mom scolded the disobedient child.

他大声喝那些捣乱的人。

Tā dàshēng chìhè nàxiē dǎoluàn de rén.

He shouted angrily at those troublemakers.

老师令学生安静下来。

Lǎoshī chìlìng xuéshēng ānjìng xiàlái.

The teacher commanded the students to be quiet.

父亲怒儿子的不负责任行为。

Fùqin nùchì érzi de bù fù zérèn xíngwéi.

The father angrily scolded his son for his irresponsible behavior.

上司责下属的工作失误。

Shàngsi chìzé xiàshǔ de gōngzuò shīwù.

The boss scolded the subordinate for the work error.

她忍不住骂那个说谎的人。

Tā rěnbùzhù chìmà nàgè shuōhuǎng de rén.

She couldn't help but curse at the liar.

尽管被责,他仍然坚持自己的观点。

Jǐnguǎn bèi chìzé, tā réngrán jiānchí zìjǐ de guāndiǎn.

Although he was scolded, he still insisted on his own viewpoint.

在激烈的争论中,他退了所有反对者。

Zài jīliè de zhēnglùn zhōng, tā chìtuì le suǒyǒu fǎnduì zhě.

In the heated debate, he rebuked and drove back all opponents.