诫

誡

jiè

戒 + 讠

Definitions

jiè (verb) to warn; to admonish

jiè (noun) commandment; precept

Etymology

Words 讠 of warning 戒; 戒 also provides the pronunciation

About

The character 诫 (written traditionally as 誡) is a phono-semantic compound. Its left side is the speech radical 讠, connecting it to speech, instructions, and spoken words. The right side, 戒, carries the meaning of guarding against or taking precautions and also provides the pronunciation. Together, they convey a formal warning, authoritative admonition, or strict command, intended to guide behavior and prevent mistakes, often issued by a superior or elder to teach moral conduct, rules, and the potential negative consequences of specific actions.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈告诫我别撒谎。

Māma gàojiè wǒ bié sāhuǎng.

Mom warned me not to lie.

老师劝诫学生不要迟到。

Lǎoshī quànjiè xuéshēng bùyào chídào.

The teacher advised the students not to be late.

他诚恳地告诫我要诚实。

Tā chéngkěn de gàojiè wǒ yào chéngshí.

He sincerely admonished me to be honest.

遵守诫命是道德的基础。

Zūnshǒu jièmìng shì dàodé de jīchǔ.

Obeying commandments is the foundation of morality.

政府告诫市民远离非法活动。

Zhèngfǔ gàojiè shìmín yuǎnlí fēifǎ huódòng.

The government warned citizens to stay away from illegal activities.

尽管有告诫，他还是冒险前行。

Jǐnguǎn yǒu gàojiè, tā háishì màoxiǎn qiánxíng.

Despite the warning, he still proceeded冒险前行.

历史教训告诫我们和平的可贵。

Lìshǐ jiàoxùn gàojiè wǒmen hépíng de kěguì.

Historical lessons warn us of the preciousness of peace.

我们必须诫勉后代珍惜资源，保护环境。

Wǒmen bìxū jièmiǎn hòudài zhēnxī zīyuán, bǎohù huánjìng.

We must admonish future generations to cherish resources and protect the environment.

Related Characters

Component: 戒

Component: 讠

诫