Meaning
处决 means to carry out a death sentence or execute someone as a legal punishment. It is a formal, legal term used in official contexts referring to capital punishment. The word combines 处 (to handle, deal with) and 决 (to decide, determine), literally meaning 'to handle decisively' in the context of carrying out the ultimate judicial penalty.
Usage
This is a formal, serious term used primarily in legal, judicial, and news contexts. It appears in official government statements, legal documents, and crime reporting. Not used in casual conversation. When discussing executions in formal Chinese, this is the standard term.
Examples
- 01法院判决这名凶手死刑，三天后将被处决。, .The court sentenced this murderer to death, and he will be executed in three days.
- 02在许多国家，战争罪犯会被依法处决。, .In many countries, war criminals are executed according to law.
Characters
Common collocations
- 处决犯人to execute a criminal
- 依法处决to execute according to law
- 被处决to be executed
Antonyms
Origin
The term derives from classical Chinese legal terminology where 处 means 'to handle/dispose of' and 决 means 'to make a final decision.' Together they form a compound specifically referring to the ultimate judicial disposition of a condemned person.