cang

A prisoner wears a cang around his neck.

Definition

1. Noun (countable):
   • A type of ancient Chinese wooden collar: "cang" refers to a heavy, portable wooden frame used as a punishment device, locked around a person's neck and wrists. This device was historically used in China, particularly during the Qing dynasty, to publicly humiliate and restrict movement.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The prisoner was forced to wear a cang for several days as a public punishment. (A heavy wooden collar used to restrain and shame.)
  • Historical records show that the cang was often placed in marketplaces to deter crime. (The device was displayed publicly.)

Advanced Usage

• "To be in the cang": to be subjected to this form of punishment.

  • The thief was put in the cang for a week to serve as a warning to others. (The thief was forced to wear the wooden collar.)

• "Cang as a symbol of justice": in historical contexts, the cang represented the legal authority of the state.

  • The cang was not only a physical restraint but also a symbol of imperial justice. (It carried both practical and symbolic weight.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cangue (noun): an alternative spelling of "cang," often used in English historical texts.
  • The cangue was a common sight in colonial-era Chinese cities. (A variant spelling with the same meaning.)

Synonyms

• Pillory: a similar device used in Europe, though often a wooden frame with holes for the head and hands.
• Stock: a restraint for the ankles, sometimes used in combination with the cang.

Related Idioms

• To bear the cang: to endure public shame or punishment.
  • He had to bear the cang for his crime, which ruined his reputation. (He suffered public humiliation.)

Notes

• The word "cang" is obsolete in modern English and is primarily encountered in historical or anthropological contexts. It is not used in contemporary speech.