<blockquote>
  <p>'<a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/779/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">处</a>' in '处决' means "to sentence/ to put to"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The basic meaning of the verb '<strong>处</strong>' is '<strong>to place</strong>', and '<strong>to sentence</strong>' is an extended meaning. </p>

<ul>
<li>"<strong>处</strong>以極刑" = "<strong>to place</strong> someone in the situation of receive capital punishment"= "<strong>to sentence</strong> someone to capital punishment"</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>'<a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/878/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">决</a>' in '处决' means "to execute"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The basic meaning of the verb '<strong>决</strong>' is '<strong>to determine</strong>' and '<strong>to execute</strong>' is an extended meaning. </p>

<ul>
<li>to determine-->  to put an end to--> to put to death</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/9137/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">处决</a></strong> as a compound word is a verb means 1.<strong>to decide a matter</strong> 2. <strong>to execute/ to put to death</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Examples:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>公司上下事情由他全權<strong>處決</strong>-  He alone <strong>decides matters</strong> on all affairs of the company </p></li>
<li><p><strong>處決</strong>某人 - <strong>Execute</strong> someone.</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-14T16:18:04.480Z
So 處決 is always about "killing", it's not about "executing programm", right?
coobit
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-14T18:53:18.137Z
處決 someone always mean to put someone to death;  executing program is 執行程序 in Chinese
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-18T06:47:45.363Z
it refers to the action/procedure to kill someone, not criminal charge/accusation, can be done by police or criminal.
Daniel Yang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-08T05:06:42.673Z
@coobit for exmaple, **the criminal has been _executed_**, may be translated to **罪犯已被 _处决_ / _处死_ / _枪决_** etc, the literal meaning is 罪犯已被执行(死刑), the word 死刑 is not neccesary in English.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-08T05:13:38.797Z
@coobit You may understand it in Chinese thoughts: **执行**死刑 (**execute** the death sentence) is more idiomatic than **处决**罪犯 (**execute** the criminal), also, **执行**程序 (**execute** a programm) is similar. The word 执行 sometimes likes **perform** or **run** in English.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-14T09:26:58.417Z
2017-08-14T21:02:33.867Z
2017-08-14T21:02:33.867Z
Tang Ho
<p>I wonder what the idea (etymology) is behind formation of this word 处决.</p>

<p>Is it something like this:</p>

<p><em>to place + to decide = to decide a place for the convict?</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-14T09:13:23.413Z
note one of the meanings of 处,

bkrs: 处: 4) punish; sentence, e.g.惩处,  
把他处以死刑
user6065
<etymology>
What is the idea behind creation of a compound word - 处决?
# What is the idea behind creation of a compound word - 处决?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-14)

I wonder what the idea (etymology) is behind formation of this word 处决.

Is it something like this:

*to place + to decide = to decide a place for the convict?*

**Tags:** etymology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: note one of the meanings of 处,  bkrs: 处: 4) punish; sentence, e.g.惩处,   把他处以死刑  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-08-14. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

> '[处](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/779/)' in '处决' means "to sentence/ to put to"

The basic meaning of the verb '**处**' is '**to place**', and '**to sentence**' is an extended meaning.

* "**处**以極刑" = "**to place** someone in the situation of receive capital punishment"= "**to sentence** someone to capital punishment"

> '[决](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/878/)' in '处决' means "to execute"

The basic meaning of the verb '**决**' is '**to determine**' and '**to execute**' is an extended meaning.

* to determine--> to put an end to--> to put to death

> **[处决](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/9137/)** as a compound word is a verb means 1.**to decide a matter** 2. **to execute/ to put to death**

Examples:

* 公司上下事情由他全權**處決**- He alone **decides matters** on all affairs of the company
* **處決**某人 - **Execute** someone.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So 處決 is always about "killing", it's not about "executing programm", right?  
> **username_2**: 處決 someone always mean to put someone to death;  executing program is 執行程序 in Chinese  
> **username_3**: it refers to the action/procedure to kill someone, not criminal charge/accusation, can be done by police or criminal.  
> **username_4**: @username_0 for exmaple, **the criminal has been _executed_**, may be translated to **罪犯已被 _处决_ / _处死_ / _枪决_** etc, the literal meaning is 罪犯已被执行(死刑), the word 死刑 is not neccesary in English.  
> **username_4**: @username_0 You may understand it in Chinese thoughts: **执行**死刑 (**execute** the death sentence) is more idiomatic than **处决**罪犯 (**execute** the criminal), also, **执行**程序 (**execute** a programm) is similar. The word 执行 sometimes likes **perform** or **run** in English.  

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