就地正法

jiùdì-zhèngfǎ

idiom

Meanings

1 to execute on the spot
2 summary execution
3 to carry out the law where the offense occurred

Characters

right at; on the spot

to enforce; upright

Examples

HSK 7-9

土匪头目被官军抓住后，就地正法。

Tǔfěi tóumù bèi guānjūn zhuāzhù hòu, jiùdì-zhèngfǎ.

After the bandit chief was captured by government troops, he was executed on the spot.

HSK 7-9

在那个动荡的年代，许多人未经审判就被就地正法。

Zài nàge dòngdàng de niándài, xǔduō rén wèijīng shěnpàn jiù bèi jiùdì-zhèngfǎ.

In that turbulent era, many people were summarily executed without trial.

Tips

history

Recorded in the late-Qing novel 《二十年目睹之怪现状》 by 吴趼人 ('Strange Things Witnessed Over Twenty Years'). The phrase reflects late-Qing emergency justice, when local officials were granted authority to execute serious offenders without sending cases up for review.

usage

Strong, formal language. Today it appears mostly in historical writing, news about wartime or regime executions, or hyperbolic complaints ('this code deserves 就地正法').

Stroke Order

就 jiù

地 dì

正 zhèng

法 fǎ