Chinese word

斥责

Pronunciation

Pinyinchì zé

Meaning

  • verbscold

Example

老师当着大家斥责了他。lǎo shī dāng zhe dà jiā chì zé le tā

The teacher scolded him in front of everyone.

Illustration for 斥责 (scold)

More examples

他因为迟到被经理斥责了。tā yīn wèi chí dào bèi jīng lǐ chì zé le

He was scolded by the manager for being late.

Core concept

A speaker directs sharp, serious words at a person to mark a fault and demand accountability, with the force coming from speech rather than physical or legal punishment.

Common phrases

  • 当众斥责dāng zhòng chì zé

    scold in public

  • 严厉斥责yán lì chì zé

    scold harshly

  • 被斥责bèi chì zé

    be scolded

Similar words

指责zhǐ zé: To strongly blame someone for a fault or for something they have done.
批评pī píng: To point out problems in someone's words, actions, or work and give a negative assessment.
责骂zé mà: To angrily scold someone with harsh, insulting words.
责备zé bèi: To reproach someone by pointing out a mistake in their actions.

Definition in Chinese

用尖锐或严肃的言辞批评并指责某人，侧重言语上的谴责而非身体或法律上的惩罚。yòng jiān ruì huò yán sù de yán cí pī píng bìng zhǐ zé mǒu rén cè zhòng yán yǔ shàng de qiǎn zé ér fēi shēn tǐ huò fǎ lǜ shàng de chéng fá

Word origin

斥 (chì, "rebuke") + 责 (zé, "blame or demand accountability") forms a compound centered on verbal rejection and assigning responsibility, which explains its strong condemning tone.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, this verb signals open and serious condemnation, so using it for a small mistake can make a correction sound much harsher than intended.

Other meanings

  • criticizeverb
  • blameverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word