What is the difference between 勑 and 敕?

勑 and 敕 are variant forms with essentially the same meaning of 'imperial decree' or 'to command'. 敕 is the more commonly used form in modern contexts.

Is 勑 commonly used in modern Chinese?

No, 勑 is considered a classical character and is rarely used in modern writing. The variant 敕 is more common in historical and literary contexts.

Can 勑 be used in personal names?

While theoretically possible, 勑 is extremely rare in modern names due to its imperial and commanding connotations, which may be considered too authoritative for personal use.

勑Tone 4

chì ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

Prev橙丁Next

勑 · chì

To command;

to order;

an imperial decree or edict;

to encourage;

to exert.

To commandto orderan imperial decree or edict

Usage highlights

Imperial edictImperial commandImperial decreeTo receive an edictTo issue an edictTo draft an edict

Synonyms

敕— Imperial decree; to command (more common variant)
令— To order; command
诏— Imperial decree; edict

Antonyms

违— To disobey; violate
抗— To resist; defy

Usage & contexts

Examples

The emperor issued an imperial edict (勑令).
He was commanded to lead the troops (勑命).
This is an imperial decree (勑书).
The official received the edict (奉勑).

Collocations

Imperial edict(勑令)
Imperial command(勑命)
Imperial decree(勑书)
To receive an edict(奉勑)
To issue an edict(降勑)
To draft an edict(草勑)

Idioms

To issue an imperial edict(发勑施令)
To act upon imperial command(奉勑行事)
To draft an edict in the morning and dispatch it at night(朝勑夕发)

Cultural background

FAQ

Historically used in imperial contexts for official decrees and commands from the emperor.
Similar in meaning and usage to the more common character 敕 (chì), with which it is often interchangeable.
Reflects the hierarchical command structure of imperial China.

勑 (chì) - To command & to order