verb / noun HSK 6
Traditional 減刑
jiǎn xíng
to reduce a sentence · sentence reduction · commutation of sentence

Meaning

减刑 is a legal term referring to the reduction of a criminal sentence, typically due to good behavior while incarcerated or other mitigating circumstances. It's commonly used in judicial and legal contexts when discussing prisoners who have their prison terms shortened.

Usage

This is formal, legal terminology primarily used in judicial settings, news reports about criminal justice, and legal documents. Native speakers would use this when discussing prison sentence reductions, parole considerations, or criminal justice reform. It's not part of everyday casual conversation unless discussing legal matters.

Examples

  1. 01
    他因为表现良好获得了三年的减刑
    yīn wèi biǎo xiàn liáng hǎo huò le sān nián de jiǎn xíng.
    He received a three-year sentence reduction due to good behavior.
  2. 02
    法院决定对这名罪犯减刑两年。
    yuàn jué dìng duì zhè míng zuì fàn jiǎn xíng liǎng nián.
    The court decided to reduce this criminal's sentence by two years.

Characters

Measure words

  • 一次减刑

Common collocations

  • 获得减刑
    huò jiǎn xíng
    to obtain a sentence reduction
  • 申请减刑
    shēn qǐng jiǎn xíng
    to apply for sentence reduction
  • 减刑机会
    jiǎn xíng huì
    opportunity for sentence reduction

Antonyms

Origin

The term combines 减 (reduce) with 刑 (criminal punishment), creating a straightforward compound that literally means 'reduce punishment.' This direct formation is typical of modern Chinese legal terminology.

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