懲 (chéng) - To punish & to discipline

懲Tone 2

chéng ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

懲 · chéng

To punish;

to discipline;

to penalize;

to serve as a warning;

to take precaution against.

To punishto disciplineto penalize

Usage highlights

To punishTo penalizeTo punish evil and promote goodTo punish severelyTo punish as a warningTo punish and prevent

Synonyms

  • 罚— to penalize; to punish
  • 处— to deal with; to punish
  • 责— to blame; to reprimand

Antonyms

  • 奖— to reward; to praise
  • 赏— to award; to bestow
  • 励— to encourage; to motivate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The school will punish students who break the rules (惩罚学生).
  • This serves as a warning to others (惩一儆百).
  • He was penalized for his negligence (因疏忽而受惩).
  • The law aims to punish and prevent crime (惩处犯罪).

Collocations

  • To punish(惩罚)
  • To penalize(惩处)
  • To punish evil and promote good(惩恶扬善)
  • To punish severely(严惩)
  • To punish as a warning(惩诫)
  • To punish and prevent(惩防)

Idioms

  • Punish one to warn a hundred(惩一儆百)
  • Punish the wicked and encourage the good(惩恶劝善)
  • Punish past mistakes to prevent future ones(惩前毖后)
  • Severely punish without leniency(严惩不贷)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Rooted in traditional Chinese legal and moral philosophy where punishment serves both corrective and deterrent functions.
  • The character embodies the Confucian ideal of using punishment as a means to maintain social order and moral standards.
  • Often appears in contexts related to law, discipline, and moral education.

FAQ