I wonder what the idea (etymology) is behind formation of this word 处决.
Is it something like this:
to place + to decide = to decide a place for the convict?
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1note one of the meanings of 处, bkrs: 处: 4) punish; sentence, e.g.惩处, 把他处以死刑– user6065Aug 14, 2017 at 9:13
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1 Answer
'处' in '处决' means "to sentence/ to put to"
The basic meaning of the verb '处' is 'to place', and 'to sentence' is an extended meaning.
- "处以極刑" = "to place someone in the situation of receive capital punishment"= "to sentence someone to capital punishment"
'决' in '处决' means "to execute"
The basic meaning of the verb '决' is 'to determine' and 'to execute' is an extended meaning.
- to determine--> to put an end to--> to put to death
处决 as a compound word is a verb means 1.to decide a matter 2. to execute/ to put to death
Examples:
公司上下事情由他全權處決- He alone decides matters on all affairs of the company
處決某人 - Execute someone.
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So 處決 is always about "killing", it's not about "executing programm", right?– coobitAug 14, 2017 at 16:18
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處決 someone always mean to put someone to death; executing program is 執行程序 in Chinese– Tang Ho ♦Aug 14, 2017 at 18:53
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it refers to the action/procedure to kill someone, not criminal charge/accusation, can be done by police or criminal. Aug 18, 2017 at 6:47
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@coobit for exmaple, the criminal has been executed, may be translated to 罪犯已被 处决 / 处死 / 枪决 etc, the literal meaning is 罪犯已被执行(死刑), the word 死刑 is not neccesary in English.– xenophōnMay 8, 2019 at 5:06
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@coobit You may understand it in Chinese thoughts: 执行死刑 (execute the death sentence) is more idiomatic than 处决罪犯 (execute the criminal), also, 执行程序 (execute a programm) is similar. The word 执行 sometimes likes perform or run in English.– xenophōnMay 8, 2019 at 5:13