cangue
/kæɳ/ Cách viết khác : (cangue) /kæɳ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A historical instrument of punishment: A "cangue" is a device that was formerly used in China to punish minor criminals. It consists of a large, heavy wooden board or collar that is locked around a person's neck and sometimes also encloses the wrists or arms.
Usage
- The "cangue" was used publicly to shame and immobilize the offender.
- It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , , ).
Examples
- Noun:
- The petty thief was sentenced to wear the cangue in the market square for three days.
- Museums sometimes display a cangue as an example of historical penal methods.
Advanced Usage
- "to be placed in the cangue": To be punished by being locked into the device.
- The corrupt official was publicly disgraced and placed in the cangue.
Variants and Related Words
- Pillory (n): A similar Western instrument of punishment, consisting of a wooden framework with holes for the head and hands.
- Stocks (n): Another historical punishment device where the ankles (and sometimes wrists) were locked in a wooden frame.
Synonyms
- Pillory: A device for public punishment and ridicule.
- Shame collar: A descriptive, non-technical term.
Notes on Meaning
- The "cangue" is specifically associated with historical Chinese law and punishment. Its use emphasizes public humiliation and physical restriction rather than corporal punishment.
Noun
- an instrument of punishment formerly used in China for petty criminals; consists of a heavy wooden collar enclosing the neck and arms