wěn
刎
cut throat; suicide by throat-cutting
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to cut (one's own) throat with a knife or sword
literaryLiterary and historical term; almost exclusively used in the compound 自刎 (suicide by cutting one's own throat). Describes a specific method of suicide or execution involving slitting the throat, common in classical Chinese historical narratives.
Xiàng项
Yǔ羽
bīng兵
bài败
hòu后
，
zài在
Wū乌
Jiāng江
biān边
zì自
wěn刎
ér而
sǐ死
。
After Xiang Yu's defeat, he killed himself by cutting his throat on the banks of the Wu River.
Gǔ古
dài代
jiàng将
shì士
shǒu守
chéng城
shī失
bài败
，
cháng常
yǐ以
zì自
wěn刎
xiè谢
zuì罪
。
Ancient generals who failed to defend their cities often atoned by committing suicide with a blade.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Tā他
bá拔
chū出
jiàn剑
lái来
，
zuò作
shì势
yù欲
wěn刎
。
He drew his sword and made a gesture as if to cut his own throat.