谴责

• Pinyin: qiǎn zé
• Hanzi breakdown: 谴 = 讠(speech radical) + 遣 (to dispatch/rebuke, phonetic); 责 = 朿 + 贝 (to demand accountability/blame)

Meaning

To condemn; to denounce; to censure. To express strong official or moral disapproval of an action or person.

Used in diplomatic, legal, political, and moral contexts. More forceful than 批评 (criticise) and 指责 (accuse/blame), but less extreme than 审判 (put on trial). Common in news reports and formal statements. The subject is typically a government, institution, or society at large.

Examples

1. 国际社会对这次针对平民的袭击行动予以强烈谴责，要求立即停火。 The international community strongly condemned the attack on civilians and demanded an immediate ceasefire.
2. 他的行为受到了全社会的广泛谴责，最终被迫辞去了公职。 His actions were widely denounced across society, and he was ultimately forced to resign from public office.
3. 人权组织发表声明，谴责该政府以国家安全为由随意拘押新闻记者的行为。 A human rights organization issued a statement condemning the government for arbitrarily detaining journalists in the name of national security.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, diplomacy, media

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 联合国安理会就该地区的人道主义危机发表声明，强烈谴责所有针对非战斗人员实施的暴力行为。(The United Nations Security Council issued a statement strongly condemning all acts of violence against non-combatants in relation to the humanitarian crisis in the region.)
• 多国政府联合发表外交声明，对此次网络攻击事件予以严厉谴责，并要求相关方承担应有的国际责任。(Governments of multiple countries jointly issued a diplomatic statement strongly condemning the cyberattack incident and demanding that those responsible bear appropriate international accountability.)

Don't Say

• 他谴责了朋友说话太大声 — 谴责 is too strong and formal for minor personal annoyances; use 抱怨 (complain about) or 提醒 (remind) in everyday interpersonal contexts

Origin & History

谴 = 讠(speech) + 遣 (to dispatch/rebuke — to formally send away with rebuke); 责 = 朿 + 贝 (to demand accountability)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal