About
The character 诛, whose traditional form is structurally identical, is composed of the semantic component 言 (speech, words) alongside 朱 (which historically functioned phonetically). This composition points directly to its original meaning of a verbal condemnation or an accusation, a sense of rebuke delivered through language. Over time, however, the application of this term broadened and intensified, shifting from the realm of spoken censure to denote the physical and legal consequences that might follow such condemnation. Consequently, its core meaning came to encompass the act of putting someone to death as a form of punishment, specifically for a crime or as an act of retributive justice, thereby linking the initial verbal indictment to its ultimate, severe conclusion.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个暴君最终被人民诛杀。
他的罪行严重，理应被诛。
历史上有许多诛杀功臣的故事。
小说里描写了诛灭叛军的激烈战役。
这种背叛行为足以招致众人的口诛笔伐。
在法律尚不健全的时代，株连九族的诛罚非常残酷。
他的理论漏洞百出，在学术会议上被同行们诛心致理地驳斥了。
企图用模糊的统计数据来诛除异己，是一种极其卑劣的政治手段。