暗杀

• Pinyin: àn shā
• Hanzi breakdown: 暗 = dark/secret; 杀 = 杀 (to kill)

Meaning

To assassinate; assassination.

Refers to the secret, premeditated killing of a person, typically for political reasons. A serious term used in historical, political, and news contexts.

Examples

1. 这位总统在任期内曾两次遭遇暗杀未遂。 This president survived two assassination attempts during his term.
2. 历史上很多重要人物都死于暗杀。 Throughout history, many important figures have died from assassination.
3. 警方挫败了一起针对外交官的暗杀阴谋。 Police foiled an assassination plot targeting a diplomat.

Usage Guide

Context: political, historical

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 那位领导人遭到暗杀。(That leader was assassinated.)
• 暗杀是严重的犯罪行为。(Assassination is a serious crime.)

Don't Say

• 开玩笑说要'暗杀'某人 (Never joke about assassinating someone — it can be taken as a threat)

Origin & History

暗 (dark/secret) + 杀 (to kill). Together: to kill secretly.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal