谪 (zhé) - To demote, exile, or banish an official & to censure or blame

谪Tone 2

zhé ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

谪 · zhé

To demote, exile, or banish an official;

to censure or blame;

to be relegated or condemned;

in Taoism, refers to the banishment of immortals to the mortal world.

To demote, exile, or banish an officialto censure or blameto be relegated or condemned

Usage highlights

To demote an officialExiled immortalTo banish to the frontierTo censure and banishDemotion and exileTo be relegated

Synonyms

  • 贬— to demote, downgrade
  • 放逐— to exile, banish
  • 流放— to send into exile

Antonyms

  • 升— to promote, rise
  • 褒— to praise, commend
  • 奖— to reward

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The official was demoted to a remote post (官员被贬谪).
  • He was exiled to the frontier for his criticism (他因批评被谪戍边疆).
  • In Taoist lore, immortals may be banished to earth (谪仙).

Collocations

  • To demote an official(贬谪)
  • Exiled immortal(谪仙)
  • To banish to the frontier(谪戍)
  • To censure and banish(谪斥)
  • Demotion and exile(迁谪)
  • To be relegated(谪降)

Idioms

  • An immortal banished to the mortal world(谪仙人)
  • Demoted and sent to a harsh post(贬谪流放)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used in imperial China for the punishment of officials through demotion and exile to remote regions.
  • In Taoist mythology, '谪仙' refers to a celestial being punished by being sent to live among humans, often retaining some divine qualities.
  • The concept reflects traditional Chinese beliefs in bureaucratic celestial realms mirroring earthly governance.

FAQ