处刑 (chǔxíng): to sentence (to a punishment)

Meanings

1 to sentence (to a punishment)
2 to execute; to put to death
3 to mete out punishment

Characters

处

chǔ

to handle; to sentence

刑

xíng

punishment; penalty

Examples

古代对叛国者处以极刑。

Gǔdài duì pànguózhě chǔ yǐ jíxíng.

In ancient times traitors were given capital punishment.

他被处刑十年。

Tā bèi chǔxíng shí nián.

He was sentenced to ten years.

Tips

usage

处 here is read chǔ (3rd tone, 'to handle / sentence'), not chù (4th tone, 'place'). The construction 处以...刑 ('sentence to ... punishment') is common in legal language: 处以死刑 (death penalty), 处以罚款 (fine).

register

Formal/legal. In modern Japanese-influenced fiction (anime, manga 处刑シーン), 处刑 specifically connotes execution; in legal Chinese it means 'sentence' more broadly.