constable; bailiff; runner
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
constable; bailiff; runner (in imperial government offices)
archaicHistorical term from imperial China. Refers to law enforcement personnel who rode horses to pursue criminals, distinct from 步快 (bùkuài) who were foot runners. Common in Qing Dynasty literature.
Qīng清
dài代
xiǎo小
shuō说
lǐ里
cháng常
yǒu有
mǎ马
kuài快
zhuī追
bǔ捕
táo逃
fàn犯
de的
jǐn紧
zhāng张
miáo描
xiě写
。
Qing Dynasty novels often contain vivid descriptions of constables pursuing escaped criminals.
Tā他
zǔ祖
fù父
nián年
qīng轻
shí时
zài在
xiàn县
yá衙
dāng当
mǎ马
kuài快
，
zhuān专
mén门
jī缉
ná拿
dào盗
zéi贼
。
His grandfather worked as a constable in the county yamen when he was young, specializing in capturing thieves.
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Mǎ马
kuài快
yǔ与
bù步
kuài快
shì是
dāng当
shí时
guān官
fǔ府
jī缉
bǔ捕
dào盗
zéi贼
de的
liǎng两
zhǒng种
zhǔ主
yào要
chāi差
yì役
。
Horse-riding and foot constables were the two main types of runners used by the government at that time to catch thieves.