reincarnation; leniency; to exceed birth quota
Meanings
3 senses · 8 examplesverb
to be reborn; reincarnation (after death)
literaryA Buddhist term, now also used metaphorically in literary contexts.
Buddhism believes that life is continuously reborn through reincarnation.
Praying to be reborn into a good family in the next life.
verb
to show leniency; to let off; to exonerate
formalUsed in contexts like writing, judging, or law enforcement, meaning to treat with undeserved mercy or to gloss over faults.
The judge showed leniency in his verdict, giving him a chance to reform.
This review glossed over the flaws of the work.
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I beg for your leniency; please spare him this time.
verb
to exceed the birth quota; to have more children than allowed
A term from China's one-child policy era, still used in historical or policy discussions.
In that era, families that exceeded the birth quota had to pay a social maintenance fee.
Because they exceeded the birth quota, their third child does not have a household registration.
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The phenomenon of exceeding the birth quota was once relatively common in rural areas.