渎

瀆

dú

卖 + 氵

Definitions

dú disrespectful; (literary) ditch

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 卖 represents the sound. Simplified form of 瀆.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 卖

About

渎 (simplified form of 瀆) is a phono-semantic compound: the left component 氵 (shuǐ, water) indicates the meaning, while the right component 卖 (mài), simplified from 賣, provides the sound. Its original, concrete sense denotes a large ditch, drain, or a major river channel flowing directly into the sea. Over time, the character developed an extended abstract meaning of disrespect, contempt, or desecration, a usage now most frequently encountered in the compound 亵渎 (xièdú, to blaspheme or desecrate).

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

不要亵渎神灵。

Bù yào xièdú shénlíng.

Do not blaspheme the gods.

渎职是严重的错误。

Dúzhí shì yánzhòng de cuòwù.

Dereliction of duty is a serious mistake.

他因渎职被开除了。

Tā yīn dúzhí bèi kāichú le.

He was fired for dereliction of duty.

这种行为是对法律的亵渎。

Zhè zhǒng xíngwéi shì duì fǎlǜ de xièdú.

This behavior is a profanation of the law.

官员渎职会损害公众利益。

Guānyuán dúzhí huì sǔnhài gōngzhòng lìyì.

Officials' dereliction of duty will harm public interests.

亵渎圣地是不可饶恕的罪过。

Xièdú shèngdì shì bùkě ráoshù de zuìguò.

Profaning holy sites is an unforgivable sin.

他的言论亵渎了传统文化的尊严。

Tā de yánlùn xièdúle chuántǒng wénhuà de zūnyán.

His remarks profaned the dignity of traditional culture.

对于渎职行为，必须依法严肃处理。

Duìyú dúzhí xíngwéi, bìxū yīfǎ yánsù chǔlǐ.

Regarding dereliction of duty, it must be dealt with seriously according to law.

Related Characters

Component: 卖

Component: 氵

渎