About
The character 缉, whose traditional form is 緝, is etymologically constructed from the semantic component 糸, denoting silk or thread, combined with the phonetic component 咠. Its original core meaning was to spin or twist silk fibers into a continuous, fine thread, an action requiring careful, continuous effort. This concept of diligent and meticulous joining or connecting naturally extended to abstract applications, such as the painstaking collection and editing of texts or the compiling of information. Over time, however, its primary meaning shifted significantly toward the legal and punitive domain, coming to specifically signify the act of apprehending or seizing, as in the pursuit and capture of a criminal. This evolution in meaning from a craft of joining threads to a law enforcement action of tracking down and seizing individuals likely stems from the metaphorical idea of following clues or connections as one would trace a single thread to its source, systematically weaving a case together until the target is secured.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
警方正在全力缉捕逃犯。
海关缉私部门查获了一批走私货物。
这个案件由市局缉毒大队负责侦办。
他被列入全国通缉名单。
侦缉队已经掌握了犯罪团伙的线索。
警方通过严密布控，成功将嫌疑人缉拿归案。
此次专项行动旨在严厉打击和缉查各类经济犯罪。
国际刑警组织协助成员国进行跨境缉捕工作。