贖 (shú) - To redeem & to ransom

贖Tone 2

shú ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

姝树

贖 · shú

To redeem;

to ransom;

to atone for;

to make up for a fault or crime.

To redeemto ransomto atone for

Usage highlights

RedeemRansom moneyAtonement for sinRedemptionRedeem a pledgeRedeem oneself

Synonyms

  • 赎买— to buy out; to redeem by purchase
  • 赎回— to redeem; to ransom back
  • 救赎— salvation; redemption

Antonyms

  • 当— to pawn (opposite action)
  • 卖— to sell (opposite action)
  • 罪— crime/sin (what one atones for)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He redeemed his watch from the pawnshop (赎回手表).
  • They paid a ransom for the hostage (赎金).
  • She tried to atone for her sins (赎罪).
  • The criminal sought redemption (寻求救赎).

Collocations

  • Redeem(赎回)
  • Ransom money(赎金)
  • Atonement for sin(赎罪)
  • Redemption(救赎)
  • Redeem a pledge(赎当)
  • Redeem oneself(自我救赎)

Idioms

  • Redeem one's faults by meritorious service(将功赎罪)
  • Unable to redeem oneself(百身何赎)
  • Redeem a crime with merit(立功赎罪)
  • Pay a ransom to retrieve the pearl(赎珠买椟)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character reflects concepts of compensation and moral restitution in Chinese culture.
  • Historically used in legal and religious contexts regarding forgiveness and repayment.
  • Appears in both secular contexts (pawn, ransom) and spiritual contexts (sin, atonement).

FAQ