殉葬

xùnzàng

verb #94,247

Meanings

1 to be buried alive with the dead
2 to bury (objects) with the dead

Characters

to be buried with the dead

Examples

HSK 7-9

秦始皇死后，很多宫女被迫殉葬。

Qínshǐhuáng sǐ hòu, hěnduō gōngnǚ bèipò xùnzàng.

When Qin Shi Huang died, many palace women were forced to be buried with him.

HSK 7-9

明朝前期，皇帝死后还要让妃子殉葬。

Míngcháo qiánqī, huángdì sǐ hòu hái yào ràng fēizi xùnzàng.

In the early Ming, an emperor's concubines were still made to follow him into the grave.

Tips

history

Objects buried with the dead are 殉葬品. Pottery figures, 俑, slowly took the place of living victims, but the Ming revived the custom until Emperor Yingzong, 明英宗, banned it in his will in 1464.

Stroke Order

殉 xùn

葬 zàng