自行了断

自行了斷

zìxíng liǎoduàn

phrase

Meanings

1 to take one's own life
2 to end things oneself (often as an honorable suicide)

Characters

to settle; finish

to break off; sever

Examples

HSK 7-9

古代将军兵败后常常选择自行了断。

Gǔdài jiāngjūn bīngbài hòu chángcháng xuǎnzé zìxíng liǎoduàn.

In ancient times, defeated generals often chose to take their own lives.

HSK 7-9

电影里的反派最后自行了断了。

Diànyǐng lǐ de fǎnpài zuìhòu zìxíng liǎoduàn le.

The villain in the movie ended up taking his own life at the end.

Tips

register

Literary / formal - common in historical fiction, wuxia novels, news reports about political figures. The components break down as 自行 ('on one's own') + 了断 ('to settle/end definitively'). More everyday Chinese says 自杀 (suicide).

mistakes

了 here is read liǎo (to settle, conclude), not the common particle 'le'. Saying zìxíng-le-duàn is wrong - it's zìxíng-liǎo-duàn.

Stroke Order

自 zì

行 xíng

了 le

断 duàn