Chinese word

绑架

Pronunciation

Pinyinbǎng jià

Meaning

  • verbkidnap

Example

他被绑架了。tā bèi bǎng jià le

He was kidnapped.

Illustration for 绑架 (kidnap)

More examples

警方发现嫌疑人策划绑架并准备索要赎金。jǐng fāng fā xiàn xián yí rén cè huà bǎng jià bìng zhǔn bèi suǒ yào shú jīn

Police discovered that the suspect was planning a kidnapping and preparing to demand a ransom.

Core concept

Someone is held against their will and moved or kept under unlawful control as part of a criminal act.

Common phrases

  • 策划绑架cè huà bǎng jià

    plan a kidnapping

  • 被绑架的受害者bèi bǎng jià de shòu hài zhě

    kidnapped victim

  • 绑架未遂bǎng jià wèi suì

    attempted kidnapping

Similar words

劫持jié chí: Take control of a person or vehicle through force or threats.
诱拐yòu guǎi: Get a person to go away by tempting or deceiving them, then take them away.
拐骗guǎi piàn: Use deception to take a person away against their will.
绑票bǎng piào: Keep a person captive while demanding money in exchange for release.

Definition in Chinese

非法用暴力、胁迫或其他手段限制他人人身自由，并常将其带离原地的行为，构成刑事犯罪。fēi fǎ yòng bào lì xié pò huò qí tā shǒu duàn xiàn zhì tā rén rén shēn zì yóu bìng cháng jiāng qí dài lí yuán dì de xíng wéi gòu chéng xíng shì fàn zuì

Word origin

绑 (bǎng, "tie up") supplies the restraint in 绑架 (bǎngjià, "kidnap"), while 架 (jià, "carry") suggests taking the restrained person elsewhere.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this is a serious crime word, so using it jokingly for a delayed friend can sound alarming rather than playful.

Other meanings

  • kidnappingnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 绑架罪bǎng jià zuìkidnapping offensenoun
  • 绑匪báng fěikidnappernoun
  • 绑架者bǎng jià zhěkidnappernoun

Word lists with this word