cruel official; oppressive magistrate
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
cruel and oppressive official (historical term for officials who abused punishments and harmed the common people)
literaryA historical term primarily used in the context of imperial Chinese history to describe brutal, corrupt officials who ruled through fear and excessive punishment. Often associated with Legalist (法家) philosophy.
Shǐ史
shū书
zhōng中
jì记
zǎi载
，
Qín秦
cháo朝
yǒu有
xǔ许
duō多
zhù著
míng名
de的
kù酷
lì吏
。
Historical records note that the Qin Dynasty had many notorious cruel officials.
Kù酷
lì吏
de的
cán残
bào暴
tǒng统
zhì治
zuì最
zhōng终
dǎo导
zhì致
le了
mín民
yuàn怨
fèi沸
téng腾
。
The brutal rule of the oppressive magistrates eventually caused public grievances to boil over.
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Zhè这
wèi位
huáng皇
dì帝
rèn任
yòng用
kù酷
lì吏
，
shǐ使
de得
cháo朝
tíng廷
shàng上
xià下
rén人
xīn心
huáng惶
huáng惶
。
This emperor appointed cruel officials, causing panic throughout the imperial court.
Lì历
shǐ史
shàng上
nà那
xiē些
zhù著
míng名
de的
kù酷
lì吏
wǎng往
wǎng往
dōu都
méi没
yǒu有
hǎo好
xià下
chǎng场
。
Historically, those famous cruel officials often came to bad ends.