发誓

• Pinyin: fā shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 发 = 弓 + 殳 — to issue, make; 誓 = 折 (to break/cut) + 言 (speech/words) — words that cut and bind, speech made binding

Meaning

To swear; to take an oath; to make a solemn vow. To declare solemnly, often invoking a higher authority or consequence, that one will or will not do something.

Used for formal oaths (military, court), deeply personal vows (love, revenge, self-improvement), and casual hyperbole. The gravity of 发誓 implies a binding commitment. Collocates with 对天发誓 (to swear to heaven) and 发誓绝不 (to vow absolutely not to).

Examples

1. 他在父亲的墓前发誓，无论付出多大代价，都要将家族企业重新振兴起来，以告慰父亲在天之灵。 At his father's grave, he swore that no matter the cost, he would revive the family business, as a way to honor his father's spirit.
2. 两人在证婚人和亲友的见证下互相发誓，承诺在漫长的人生旅途中相互扶持、不离不弃。 With the officiant and their family and friends as witnesses, the two swore vows to support each other on life’s long journey and never abandon one another.
3. 她对天发誓这件事和她毫无关系，语气之坚定让在场的所有人都陷入了短暂的沉默与迟疑。 She swore to heaven that it had nothing to do with her, and the firmness of her tone plunged everyone present into a brief silence and doubt.

Usage Guide

Context: personal, legal, military, culture

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 新兵在入伍宣誓仪式上庄严发誓，愿意为保卫国家的领土完整和人民的生命财产安全奉献自己的青春乃至生命，现场气氛肃穆而庄重。(The new recruits solemnly swore at the enlistment oath ceremony that they were willing to dedicate their youth and even their lives to defending the nation's territorial integrity and the safety of the people's lives and property; the atmosphere on site was solemn and dignified.)
• 他发誓不再进赌场，却三个月后故态复萌。(He swore never to enter a casino again, yet relapsed three months later.)

Don't Say

• 我发誓说这件事 — 发誓 does not take 说 as a complement followed by an event reference; say 我发誓这件事与我无关 or 我以人格发誓，这绝对是真的 for natural usage

Origin & History

发 (to issue/make) + 誓 (oath/vow) — to formally make or issue an oath

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal