殘賊

殘賊

1. (archaic) tyrannical, despotic

   • 賊仁者謂之賊，賊義者謂之殘，殘賊之人謂之一夫。聞誅一夫紂矣，未聞弒君也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     贼仁者谓之贼，贼义者谓之残，残贼之人谓之一夫。闻诛一夫纣矣，未闻弑君也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zéi rén zhě wèi zhī zéi, zéi yì zhě wèi zhī cán, cánzéi zhī rén wèi zhī yīfū. Wén zhū yīfū Zhòu yǐ, wèi wén shìjūn yě. [Pinyin]

     He who outrages the benevolence proper to his nature, is called a robber; he who outrages righteousness, is called a ruffian. The robber and ruffian we call a mere fellow. I have heard of the cutting off of the fellow Zhou, but I have not heard of the putting a sovereign to death, in his case.

殘賊

1. (literary) to tyrannise over; to harass; to persecute

殘賊

1. (literary) savage bandit

   • 漢將辭家破殘賊 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     汉将辞家破残贼 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 高適《燕歌行》

     Hàn jiàng cí jiā pò cánzéi [Pinyin]

     The Han warrior bids farewell to his family; he departs to wreak havoc upon the savages.