zhǐzé: 指责 - To Accuse, Blame, Reprimand

• Keywords: zhǐzé, 指责, meaning of zhǐzé, how to use zhǐzé, Chinese for criticize, Chinese for blame, accuse in Chinese, Chinese reprimand, zhǐzé vs piping, 指责 vs 批评, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese word 指责 (zhǐzé), which means to accuse, blame, or reprimand. This comprehensive guide for English speakers breaks down the meaning of 指责, its cultural significance related to 'face' (面子), and how it differs from the more common word for 'criticize' (批评, pīpíng). Explore 10+ practical example sentences to master the use of this serious and formal term in modern Chinese conversation and writing.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhǐ zé
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To point out someone's faults and blame them; to accuse or reprimand.
• In a Nutshell: 指责 (zhǐzé) is a strong, formal, and serious word used when you are blaming or accusing someone of a significant mistake or wrongdoing. Think of it less as “offering criticism” and more as “pointing the finger” to assign blame. It carries a heavy, confrontational tone and is not used for light or constructive feedback.

• 指 (zhǐ): This character means “to point” or “finger”. It's composed of the “hand” radical (手) on the left and a phonetic component on the right. Imagine literally pointing your finger at something.
• 责 (zé): This character means “to demand,” “to hold responsible,” or “to blame.” It relates to a duty or a standard that has not been met.
• When combined, 指责 (zhǐzé) literally means “to point and blame.” This visual combination perfectly captures the word's direct, accusatory nature.

The use of 指责 (zhǐzé) is deeply connected to the cultural concept of 面子 (miànzi), or “face,” which represents a person's social standing, reputation, and dignity. To publicly 指责 someone is to directly challenge their competence and integrity, causing them to “lose face.” Because maintaining social harmony is highly valued, such direct confrontation is often avoided. People may prefer to use indirect communication or less harsh words. Comparison to Western Culture: In American or Western contexts, “criticism” can often be framed as constructive (“constructive criticism”) and is a common part of feedback in work or school. 指责 (zhǐzé), however, rarely has this constructive connotation. It is almost exclusively negative and accusatory. While an American boss might “criticize” an employee's report to help them improve, a Chinese boss who uses 指责 is delivering a serious reprimand and assigning blame for a failure. Using 指责 inappropriately can be seen as aggressive, rude, and disrespectful, potentially damaging a relationship beyond repair. It's reserved for situations where a clear line has been crossed and blame must be formally assigned.

• Formal Settings: This is the most common context. You will see 指责 in news reports about officials being accused of corruption, in legal documents, or in formal company memos reprimanding an employee for a major error.
• Serious Personal Disputes: In arguments between family members, partners, or close friends, 指责 can be used, but it signals a very serious level of conflict. Using it escalates the situation from a simple disagreement to a direct accusation of fault.
• Connotation: The connotation is overwhelmingly negative and heavy. It implies a moral or procedural failing that is not just a simple mistake.

• Example 1:
  • 他因工作中的严重失误而受到老板的指责。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīn gōngzuò zhōng de yánzhòng shīwù ér shòudào lǎobǎn de zhǐzé.
  • English: He was reprimanded by his boss because of a serious mistake at work.
  • Analysis: This is a classic formal usage. “受到指责” (shòudào zhǐzé) means “to receive a reprimand/accusation,” a common passive structure.
• Example 2:
  • 你不应该毫无根据地指责别人。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bù yīnggāi háo wú gēnjù de zhǐzé biérén.
  • English: You shouldn't accuse others without any evidence.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the seriousness of 指责, implying that accusations require proof (“根据” - gēnjù).
• Example 3:
  • 在问题面前，相互指责是解决不了任何问题的。
  • Pinyin: Zài wèntí miànqián, xiānghù zhǐzé shì jiějué bùliǎo rènhé wèntí de.
  • English: In the face of a problem, mutually blaming each other won't solve anything.
  • Analysis: “相互指责” (xiānghù zhǐzé) means “to blame each other.” This shows the word used in the context of conflict resolution (or the lack thereof).
• Example 4:
  • 媒体指责该官员滥用权力。
  • Pinyin: Méitǐ zhǐzé gāi guānyuán lànyòng quánlì.
  • English: The media accused the official of abusing power.
  • Analysis: This is a typical example from news reporting, where the tone is formal and the accusation is serious.
• Example 5:
  • 她指责丈夫对家庭不够关心。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhǐzé zhàngfū duì jiātíng bùgòu guānxīn.
  • English: She accused her husband of not caring enough about the family.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates its use in a personal, but very serious, conflict. This is not a simple complaint; it's a direct accusation.
• Example 6:
  • 出了事，别总是指责别人，先反省一下自己。
  • Pinyin: Chūle shì, bié zǒngshì zhǐzé biérén, xiān fǎnxǐng yīxià zìjǐ.
  • English: When something goes wrong, don't always blame others; first, reflect on yourself.
  • Analysis: This sentence contrasts blaming others with self-reflection (反省 - fǎnxǐng), a common piece of advice in Chinese culture.
• Example 7:
  • 面对父母的指责，他一言不发。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì fùmǔ de zhǐzé, tā yī yán bù fā.
  • English: Faced with his parents' accusations, he didn't say a word.
  • Analysis: Here, 指责 is used as a noun (“the accusation/blame”). This is a common pattern.
• Example 8:
  • 我不是在指责你，我只是想把事实说清楚。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bùshì zài zhǐzé nǐ, wǒ zhǐshì xiǎng bǎ shìshí shuō qīngchǔ.
  • English: I'm not accusing you, I just want to clarify the facts.
  • Analysis: People often say this to soften a direct statement, acknowledging the heavy weight of the word 指责.
• Example 9:
  • 他的辩解听起来像是在指责受害者。
  • Pinyin: Tā de biànjiě tīng qǐlái xiàngshì zài zhǐzé shòuhàizhě.
  • English: His defense sounded like he was blaming the victim.
  • Analysis: This shows the concept of “victim-blaming,” a context where 指责 is a perfect fit.
• Example 10:
  • 国际社会一致指责其侵略行为。
  • Pinyin: Guójì shèhuì yīzhì zhǐzé qí qīnlüè xíngwéi.
  • English: The international community unanimously condemned its act of aggression.
  • Analysis: In this high-level, formal context, 指责 is strong enough to be translated as “condemn” or “denounce.” A harsher alternative here would be 谴责 (qiǎnzé).

The most common mistake for learners is to confuse 指责 (zhǐzé) with 批评 (pīpíng).

• 指责 (zhǐzé) - To Accuse/Blame:
  • Focus: Assigning blame for a fault or wrongdoing.
  • Connotation: Strongly negative, confrontational, serious.
  • Goal: To hold someone responsible.
  • Example: “你为什么迟到？” (Why are you late?) → “我指责你没有责任心。” (I accuse you of having no sense of responsibility.) - This is an extremely harsh escalation.
• 批评 (pīpíng) - To Criticize:
  • Focus: Pointing out a shortcoming or mistake.
  • Connotation: Can be neutral or even constructive. It's the standard word for feedback.
  • Goal: Can be to help someone improve.
  • Example: A teacher might 批评 a student's essay (critique it) to show them how to write better. Using 指责 would imply the student did something morally wrong, which would be inappropriate.

INCORRECT USAGE:

• `老师指责了我的作文。` (Lǎoshī zhǐzéle wǒ de zuòwén.)
• Why it's wrong: This is too harsh. It sounds like the teacher is accusing you of some terrible transgression, like plagiarism. The correct word would be 批评 (pīpíng).

Think of it this way: You 批评 a plan, but you 指责 a person.

• 批评 (pīpíng) - To criticize. The most important related term. It is much more common and less harsh than 指责.
• 责备 (zébèi) - To reproach, to blame. Very similar to 指责 but perhaps slightly more personal and emotional, and less formal or public.
• 谴责 (qiǎnzé) - To condemn, to denounce. Even stronger and more formal than 指责. Used for major moral, ethical, or political violations (e.g., condemning terrorism).
• 抱怨 (bàoyuàn) - To complain. Focuses on expressing one's own dissatisfaction or grievance, rather than directly accusing another person of fault.
• 怪 (guài) - To blame. A very common and colloquial verb. “都怪我” (dōu guài wǒ) means “It's all my fault.” It's less formal than 指责.
• 错误 (cuòwù) - Mistake, error. This is often the reason for the 指责.
• 责任 (zérèn) - Responsibility. 指责 is often about assigning responsibility (or blame) for a negative outcome.
• 面子 (miànzi) - “Face”; social standing. This is what is at stake when someone is publicly 指责'd.