誓

shì

折 + 言

Definitions

shì (verb) to swear; to pledge; to vow

shì (noun) oath

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 折 represents the sound.

About

誓 is a phono-semantic compound combining the radical 言 (speech) at the bottom with 折 (break) at the top. The 言 radical situates the meaning in the realm of spoken declarations, oaths, and formal commitments, while 折 indicates the sound. The character denotes the act of swearing an oath, making a solemn vow, or pledging a firm allegiance. Its structure recalls ancient oath-taking rites where participants would snap an object, like an arrow or a wooden stick, to visibly mark the promise as irreversible. The breaking symbolised that the spoken word could not be taken back, so the marriage of 'speech' and 'breaking' in the character captures the idea of an unbreakable verbal bond.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他发誓不再迟到。

Tā fāshì bù zài chídào.

He swore not to be late again.

她的誓言很真诚。

Tā de shìyán hěn zhēnchéng.

Her oath is very sincere.

我们在国旗下宣读誓词。

Wǒmen zài guóqí xià xuāndú shìcí.

We read the oath under the national flag.

战士誓死保卫祖国。

Zhànshì shìsǐ bǎowèi zǔguó.

The soldiers swear to defend the motherland even at the cost of their lives.

他们签订了婚姻誓约。

Tāmen qiāndìng le hūnyīn shìyuē.

They signed a marriage pledge.

我发誓，无论遇到什么困难都会坚持下去。

Wǒ fāshì, wúlùn yù dào shénme kùnnan dōu huì jiānchí xiàqù.

I swear that no matter what difficulties I encounter, I will persevere.

在庄严的仪式上，他郑重地许下了守护环境的誓言。

Zài zhuāngyán de yíshì shàng, tā zhèngzhòng de xǔxià le shǒuhù huánjìng de shìyán.

At the solemn ceremony, he solemnly made a vow to protect the environment.

尽管面临诸多挑战，但政府誓要推动这项改革，并已制定详细计划以确保其实现。

Jǐnguǎn miànlín zhūduō tiǎozhàn, dàn zhèngfǔ shì yào tuīdòng zhè xiàng gǎigé, bìng yǐ zhìdìng xiángxì jìhuà yǐ quèbáo qí shíxiàn.

Despite facing many challenges, the government is determined to promote this reform and has developed a detailed plan to ensure its realization.

Related Characters

Component: 折

Component: 言

誓