詛 (zǔ) - Curse — to invoke evil or misfortune upon & to swear an oath

詛Tone 3

zǔ ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

志

詛 · zǔ

Curse — to invoke evil or misfortune upon someone;

to swear an oath;

to use profane language.

Curse — to invoke evil or misfortune uponto swear an oathto use profane language.

Usage highlights

To curseCurse wordsAncestral curseCurse ritualTo swear an oathCurse and swear

Synonyms

  • 咒— curse, spell, incantation
  • 骂— scold, curse (more colloquial)

Antonyms

  • 祝— bless, wish well
  • 福— blessing, good fortune

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He cursed his enemy (诅咒他的敌人).
  • Ancient rituals included curses (诅咒仪式).
  • She uttered a terrible curse (可怕的诅咒).
  • They were under a family curse (家族诅咒).

Collocations

  • To curse(诅咒)
  • Curse words(诅咒语)
  • Ancestral curse(祖咒)
  • Curse ritual(诅咒仪式)
  • To swear an oath(诅誓)
  • Curse and swear(诅骂)

Idioms

  • To curse heaven and blame earth(诅天咒地)
  • To swear by the gods(诅神发誓)
  • Curses and incantations(诅祝咒语)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, curses were part of religious and folk practices, often involving written or spoken incantations.
  • The character appears in oracle bone inscriptions, showing its long history in Chinese ritual contexts.
  • Curses were sometimes formally inscribed on bronze vessels or tomb artifacts to invoke supernatural punishment.

FAQ