責
zé
one's responsibility, duty; to demand or reprimand
Meaning
Core sense: Pressure or exaction; something demanded, required, or imposed.
As a noun: An imposed obligation or charge; the weight of an expectation, often carrying the connotation of a debt that must be settled (rather than a "noble calling").
As a verb:
1. Exaction: To demand the fulfillment of a promise or the payment of a debt.
2. Reprimand: To censure, scold, or call someone to account for a failure; typically used from superior to subordinate.
Grammar and usage
Functions as both a noun (obligation/charge) and a verb (to demand/reprimand).
History and forms
Fanqie reading: 側革
Tang-period reading: jrɛk
Variants: U+62C6, U+8D23 (simplified)
Translator notes
When determining the specific sense of the glyph, consider the context:
- Financial or resource contexts: likely "demand" (for repayment).
- Contexts involving error or failure: likely "blame" or "reprimand."
- Administrative or official contexts: likely "duty," "official charge," or "responsibility."
Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.