辞 (cí) - To resign & to dismiss

辞Tone 2

cí ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

辞 · cí

To resign;

to dismiss;

to decline;

to take leave;

words;

speech;

diction;

a type of classical Chinese poetry.

To resignto dismissto decline

Usage highlights

ResignFarewellDictionElegant languageSpeechDictionary

Synonyms

  • 词— word; statement; a type of poetry
  • 别— to part; to leave
  • 退— to withdraw; to retreat

Antonyms

  • 就— to assume (a position); to take up
  • 任— to appoint; to assume a post
  • 迎— to welcome; to meet

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He submitted his resignation (辞职).
  • This is a farewell speech (辞别 speech).
  • She has an elegant way with words (文辞).
  • He composed a poem in the ci style (宋词).

Collocations

  • Resign(辞职)
  • Farewell(辞别)
  • Diction(措辞)
  • Elegant language(文辞)
  • Speech(言辞)
  • Dictionary(辞典)

Idioms

  • To be at a loss for words(张口结舌)
  • Flowery language(花言巧语)
  • Eloquent and well-reasoned(义正辞严)
  • To make excuses(托辞推诿)
  • Bidding farewell(告辞而去)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese, '辞' refers to a specific poetic form (词/辭) that flourished during the Song Dynasty.
  • The character embodies the Confucian value of proper speech and the importance of eloquent expression.
  • In modern contexts, it carries formal connotations of departure and refusal, often used in professional or ceremonial settings.

FAQ