杀一儆百

殺一儆百

shāyījǐngbǎi

idiom #30,869

Meanings

1 to execute one as a warning to a hundred
2 to make an example of someone

Characters

to warn; to admonish

Examples

法院重判此案，意在杀一儆百。

Fǎyuàn zhòng pàn cǐ àn, yì zài shā yī jǐng bǎi.

The court handed down a harsh sentence, meaning to make an example.

公司开除他是为了杀一儆百。

Gōngsī kāichú tā shì wèile shā yī jǐng bǎi.

The company fired him to send a warning to the rest.

Tips

history

From 《汉书·尹翁归传》: '以一警百' (warn the hundred with one). 儆 (alert, warn) survives mostly in this idiom; modern 警 is its common form.

Stroke Order

杀 shā

一 yī

儆 jǐng

百 bǎi