traitor; rebel; villain
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
traitor; villain; evildoer who harms the nation and the people
literaryLiterary and classical usage, often paired with 乱臣 in the idiom 乱臣贼子. Carries strong moral condemnation.
Kǒng孔
zǐ子
zuò作
《
Chūn春
Qiū秋
》
，
shǐ使
luàn乱
chén臣
zéi贼
zǐ子
jù惧
。
Confucius wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals, which struck fear into the hearts of treacherous ministers and rebels.
Zhè这
xiē些
zéi贼
zǐ子
bèi背
pàn叛
le了
guó国
jiā家
，
bì必
jiāng将
shòu受
dào到
lì历
shǐ史
de的
shěn审
pàn判
。
These traitors who betrayed their country will surely face the judgment of history.
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Gǔ古
rén人
cháng常
jiāng将
luàn乱
chén臣
zéi贼
zǐ子
bìng并
tí提
，
yǐ以
chì斥
bù不
zhōng忠
bù不
xiào孝
zhī之
rén人
。
The ancients often mentioned treacherous ministers and rebels together to condemn the disloyal and unfilial.