劫
Character Story & Explanation
In modern Chinese, 劫 appears frequently in news headlines (e.g., 银行劫案 — 'bank robbery case') and legal terminology. A well-documented idiom is 劫富济贫 (jié fù jì pín), historically associated with righteous outlaws like those in *Water Margin*, meaning 'rob the rich to aid the poor'. This phrase reflects real sociohistorical banditry in Ming–Qing dynasties and remains culturally resonant today.
The character’s form dates to seal script (c. 3rd century BCE), combining 力 (force) and 去 (to depart/away), clearly indicating coercive removal. No oracle-bone origin exists — its earliest attested form is already semantic-phonetic, with 力 as semantic and 去 as phonetic component (though pronunciation diverged over time).
Hi students! Let’s look at the character 劫 (jié). It’s a Level 6 HSK character — so it’s advanced, but very useful. Its core meaning is 'to rob' or 'to seize by force', and it often carries a strong sense of violence, urgency, or injustice. Notice its radical: 力 (lì), meaning 'strength' or 'power' — that’s your first clue! This isn’t a gentle act; it’s forceful taking. The right side, 去 (qù, 'to go'), hints at removal — something being taken away abruptly.
Don’t confuse 劫 with simple theft — it implies coercion, like armed robbery or kidnapping. In classical texts, it described bandit raids; today, it appears in legal, news, and literary contexts. Because it’s emotionally charged, native speakers use it carefully — not for petty shoplifting, but for serious crimes or dramatic metaphors (e.g., ‘life劫’ meaning ‘a life-shattering crisis’).
Even though it’s only 7 strokes, 劫 is visually balanced: the 力 radical anchors the left, while 去 flows rightward, suggesting motion and loss. Practice writing it stroke-by-stroke: start with the horizontal stroke in 力, then the hook, then the three strokes of 去 — remember, the dot comes last! Mastering 劫 helps you read crime reports, historical novels, and even Buddhist terms like 劫波 (kalpa), where it means an immense cosmic ‘eon’ — showing how meaning evolves across time and context.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
Your First Step into Chinese Culture: Get a Chinese Name
Every journey into Chinese begins with a name. Use our free Chinese name generator to create a meaningful, personalized Chinese name that fits you perfectly.
Get My Chinese Name →