酷刑

kùxíng

noun #14,661

Meanings

1 torture
2 cruel punishment

Characters

cruel; harsh; cool

punishment; penalty

Examples

国际法禁止使用酷刑。

Guójìfǎ jìnzhǐ shǐyòng kùxíng.

International law prohibits the use of torture.

那些囚犯遭受了酷刑。

Nàxiē qiúfàn zāoshòu le kùxíng.

Those prisoners were subjected to torture.

Tips

history

Ancient China had a codified system of punishments called 五刑 (wǔxíng, 'five punishments'). 酷刑 historically referred to punishments exceeding these official penalties in severity — extrajudicial cruelty.

Stroke Order

酷 kù

刑 xíng