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March 24, 2026
惩罚(懲罰)chéngfá(cheng2fa2)
惩罚 (chéng fá) refers to the act of imposing a penalty for wrongdoing or misconduct. It is commonly used in legal, educational, and disciplinary contexts to denote the consequences faced by individuals for their actions, emphasizing correction and deterrence.
Frequency#1945DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 惩罚 is often tied to Confucian values of maintaining social order and harmony, where punishment serves a corrective, rather than solely punitive, function.
Memory Tip
Imagine a judge (the character 惩) wielding a gavel (the radical '刑' which denotes punishment) while enforcing a penalty (罚). The sound 'chéng' can remind you of 'change', as punishment often aims to change behavior.
Meanings of 惩罚
chéngfá(cheng2fa2)
1penalty
2punishment
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 惩罚
惩罚Simplified
懲罰Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#1945Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 惩罚
Podcast: 惩罚
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AI Study Notes for 惩罚
Quick Contrast
惩戒 (chéngjiè) — use 惩罚 for punitive measures, while 惩戒 implies a broader disciplinary correction, often with an educational focus.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a judge (the character 惩) wielding a gavel (the radical '刑' which denotes punishment) while enforcing a penalty (罚). The sound 'chéng' can remind you of 'change', as punishment often aims to change behavior.
Usage Notes
Be mindful that 惩罚 is generally used in formal contexts, such as legal or official discussions. A common mistake is to confuse it with 处罚 (chǔ fá), which can imply a more administrative form of punishment. Collocations include 惩罚措施 (punitive measures) and 惩罚决定 (punishment decision).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 vocabulary word, 惩罚 connects well with other legal and ethical terms like 责任 (responsibility) and 违规 (violation). Focus on using it in sentences that discuss accountability and consequences.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 惩罚 is often tied to Confucian values of maintaining social order and harmony, where punishment serves a corrective, rather than solely punitive, function.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 惩罚 in contexts where 处罚 would be more appropriate, leading to awkward sentences. For example, saying '我对他的错误进行了惩罚' (incorrect) should be '我对他的错误进行了处罚' (correct).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 惩罚
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Grammar Patterns of 惩罚
惩罚 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
他们呼吁当局将蓄奴定为一种应该受到____的罪行。
They called on the authorities to make slavery a punishable offence.
Example Sentences for 惩罚 (6)
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1
他们呼吁当局将蓄奴定为一种应该受到惩罚的罪行。
tā mén hū xū dāng jú jiāng xù nú dìng wéi yī zhǒng yīng gāi shòu dào chéng fá de zuì háng。
They called on the authorities to make slavery a punishable offence.
2
那些拒不悔改的人，他说，将会受到惩罚。
nà xiē jù bù huǐ gǎi de rén， ， tā， shuō ， jiāng huì shòu dào。
Those who refuse to repent, he said, will be punished.
3
在书的结尾，那个孩子的真实身份大白于世，坏人则得到了应有的惩罚。
zài shū de jié wěi， ， nà gè hái zǐ de zhēn shí shēn fèn dà bái yú， shì ， huài rén zé dé dào le yīng yǒu de。
At the end of the book the child's true identity is discovered, and the bad guys get their just deserts.
English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.
5
由于他是初犯, 惩罚较轻.
yóu yú tā shì chū fàn, , chéng fá jiào.
Because it was his first offence , the punishment wasn't too severe.
6
忽必烈汗准备了一支庞大的舰队和陆军,来惩罚这个拒不服从的统治者.
hū bì liè hàn zhǔn bèi le yī zhī páng dà de jiàn duì hé lù jūn, , lái chéng fá zhè gè jù bù fú cóng de tǒng zhì.
Kublai khan prepared a great fleet and army with which to punish the recalcitrant ruler.
Cultural Notes for 惩罚
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 惩罚 is often tied to Confucian values of maintaining social order and harmony, where punishment serves a corrective, rather than solely punitive, function.
Frequently Asked Questions about 惩罚
惩罚 (chéng fá) implies a more severe or formal punishment, while 处罚 (chǔ fá) often refers to administrative penalties.
While it can be used informally, it is more commonly found in formal contexts like legal discussions or school discipline.
Yes, it generally has a negative connotation, focusing on the consequences of wrongdoing, but it can imply a corrective purpose.
