shufu: 束缚 - To Bind, Constrain, Shackle

• Keywords: shufu Chinese meaning, 束缚 meaning, how to use shufu, Chinese word for restriction, to bind in Chinese, to constrain, shackles in Chinese, 束缚 pinyin, 束缚 example sentences, Chinese culture, tradition
• Summary: Discover the deep meaning of 束缚 (shùfù), a powerful Chinese word that means to bind, constrain, or shackle. This page explores how shùfù is used to describe not just physical bonds, but more importantly, the metaphorical restrictions of tradition, relationships, and societal expectations. Learn its cultural significance, how to use it in sentences, and how it differs from similar words like `限制 (xiànzhì)`.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shùfù
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To tie up, bind, or constrain; a restraint, bond, or shackle.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine being tied up with ropes so you can't move freely. That's the core image of 束缚 (shùfù). It's used for physical binding, but more often, it describes the feeling of being held back or restricted by abstract things like outdated ideas, strict rules, or heavy responsibilities. It carries a strong negative feeling of wanting to break free.

• 束 (shù): This character is a pictograph of a bundle of wood or grain tied together with a rope around the middle. Its core meaning is “to tie,” “to bundle,” or “a bunch.”
• 缚 (fù): This character means “to bind” or “to tie up.” It's made of two parts: the silk radical `纟(sī)` on the left, which relates to rope or thread, and `尃 (fū)` on the right, which provides the sound.
• Together, 束缚 (shùfù) combines “to bundle” and “to bind with rope,” creating a vivid and strong word that emphasizes a complete lack of freedom and movement.

In Chinese culture, 束缚 (shùfù) often taps into the tension between collective responsibility and individual desire. While Western cultures, particularly American culture, heavily prize individualism and “breaking free,” traditional Chinese society has long emphasized group harmony, filial piety, and adherence to established social structures. A useful comparison is the English phrase “being tied down.” One can be “tied down” by a job or a mortgage. However, 束缚 (shùfù) carries a deeper, often more systemic weight. It can refer to the immense pressure to conform to the expectations of family and society, which are seen not just as personal choices but as cultural duties. For example, a young person might feel 束缚 by the expectation to marry early, have children, and care for their parents, even if it conflicts with their personal career ambitions. Therefore, when someone uses 束缚 (shùfù), they are often expressing a powerful sense of being trapped by forces larger than themselves—be it tradition (`传统`), fate (`命运`), or a rigid system (`体制`). The desire to `摆脱束缚 (bǎituō shùfù)`—to break free from these bonds—is a common theme in modern Chinese literature and film.

束缚 (shùfù) is a fairly formal and literary word. You're more likely to encounter it in writing, news, or serious discussions than in casual, everyday chat. Its connotation is almost always negative.

• Describing Abstract Constraints: This is the most common usage. It's used to talk about being limited by ideas, systems, or traditions.
  • e.g., “束缚思想 (shùfù sīxiǎng)” - to fetter one's thinking.
  • e.g., “被传统观念束缚 (bèi chuántǒng guānniàn shùfù)” - to be bound by traditional concepts.
• As a Noun: It can act as a noun meaning “bonds,” “shackles,” or “restraints.”
  • e.g., “挣脱婚姻的束缚 (zhēngtuō hūnyīn de shùfù)” - to break free from the shackles of marriage.
• In Formal/Literary Contexts: While a casual speaker might say a rule `管得太严 (guǎn de tài yán)` (is too strict), a writer or official might describe it as a 束缚 on innovation.

• Example 1:
  • 他感到被沉重的工作束缚，完全没有个人时间。
  • Pinyin: Tā gǎndào bèi chénzhòng de gōngzuò shùfù, wánquán méiyǒu gèrén shíjiān.
  • English: He felt constrained by his heavy workload and had absolutely no personal time.
  • Analysis: A classic metaphorical use. The job isn't literally tying him up, but it feels like it is, restricting his freedom.
• Example 2:
  • 我们不应该被旧思想束缚，要敢于创新。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bù yīnggāi bèi jiù sīxiǎng shùfù, yào gǎnyú chuàngxīn.
  • English: We shouldn't be fettered by old ways of thinking; we must dare to innovate.
  • Analysis: Here, 束缚 refers to the mental restriction imposed by outdated ideas.
• Example 3:
  • 这种过时的规定束缚了公司的发展。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng guòshí de guīdìng shùfùle gōngsī de fāzhǎn.
  • English: This kind of outdated regulation has shackled the company's development.
  • Analysis: This shows how a system or rule can act as a 束缚, preventing progress.
• Example 4:
  • 很多女性正在努力挣脱传统角色的束缚。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō nǚxìng zhèngzài nǔlì zhēngtuō chuántǒng juésè de shùfù.
  • English: Many women are striving to break free from the bonds of traditional roles.
  • Analysis: Here, 束缚 is used as a noun (“bonds” or “shackles”) and is paired with the verb `挣脱 (zhēngtuō)` - to break free from.
• Example 5:
  • 在古代，人们用绳索束缚犯人。
  • Pinyin: Zài gǔdài, rénmen yòng shéngsuǒ shùfù fànrén.
  • English: In ancient times, people used ropes to bind prisoners.
  • Analysis: A rare literal usage, showing the word's origin. This is most common in historical contexts.
• Example 6:
  • 真正的爱不是束缚，而是给对方自由。
  • Pinyin: Zhēnzhèng de ài búshì shùfù, érshì gěi duìfāng zìyóu.
  • English: True love is not about binding someone, but about giving the other person freedom.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts 束缚 with its antonym, `自由 (zìyóu)` (freedom), highlighting its negative meaning in relationships.
• Example 7:
  • 他觉得家庭是一种甜蜜的束缚。
  • Pinyin: Tā juéde jiātíng shì yī zhǒng tiánmì de shùfù.
  • English: He feels that family is a kind of sweet burden (lit: sweet shackles).
  • Analysis: This is a nuanced use. The adjective `甜蜜的 (tiánmì de)` - “sweet” - makes the “shackles” of family seem bittersweet and accepted, rather than purely negative.
• Example 8:
  • 创作的自由不应受到任何形式的束缚。
  • Pinyin: Chuàngzuò de zìyóu bù yīng shòudào rènhé xíngshì de shùfù.
  • English: Creative freedom should not be subjected to any form of restraint.
  • Analysis: 束缚 is used as a noun here to mean “restraint” or “restriction” in a formal context about rights and principles.
• Example 9:
  • 不要自我束缚，你应该相信自己的潜力。
  • Pinyin: Búyào zìwǒ shùfù, nǐ yīnggāi xiāngxìn zìjǐ de qiánlì.
  • English: Don't restrain yourself; you should believe in your own potential.
  • Analysis: `自我束缚 (zìwǒ shùfù)` means to bind or limit oneself, referring to self-imposed psychological barriers.
• Example 10:
  • 复杂的程序束缚了我们的手脚，导致效率低下。
  • Pinyin: Fùzá de chéngxù shùfùle wǒmen de shǒujiǎo, dǎozhì xiàolǜ dīxià.
  • English: The complicated procedures tied our hands and feet, leading to low efficiency.
  • Analysis: The phrase `束缚手脚 (shùfù shǒujiǎo)` is a common idiom meaning “to tie one's hands and feet,” metaphorically preventing someone from acting effectively.

A common mistake for learners is to use 束缚 (shùfù) when a more neutral or common word like `限制 (xiànzhì)` is more appropriate.

• 束缚 (shùfù) vs. 限制 (xiànzhì) - Shackle vs. Limit:
  • `限制 (xiànzhì)` means “to limit” or “a restriction.” It is neutral. A speed limit is a `限制`. A time limit on a test is a `限制`.
  • 束缚 (shùfù) means “to shackle” or “to bind.” It is strongly negative and implies a lack of freedom that is unfair or suffocating.
  • Correct: `这条路的速度限制是60公里。(Zhè tiáo lù de sùdù xiànzhì shì liùshí gōnglǐ.)` - The speed limit on this road is 60 km. (A neutral rule).
  • Incorrect: `这条路的速度束缚是60公里。` - This sounds overly dramatic, as if the speed limit were an evil force oppressing you.
  • Correct: `这种不合理的制度束缚了人们的创造力。(Zhè zhǒng bù hélǐ de zhìdù shùfùle rénmen de chuàngzàolì.)` - This unreasonable system has shackled people's creativity. (Negative, implies unfair constraint).
• 束缚 (shùfù) vs. 羁绊 (jībàn) - Shackles vs. Ties that Bind:
  • `羁绊 (jībàn)` also means “fetters” or “bonds,” but it is almost exclusively used for emotional and relational ties. It can even be bittersweet. The responsibilities of having children could be a `羁绊`.
  • 束缚 (shùfù) is broader and more consistently negative. It can apply to systems, ideas, and rules, not just relationships. While both can describe a marriage, `婚姻的束缚` sounds purely negative, while `婚姻的羁绊` could imply the deep, complex, and binding ties of the relationship.

• 限制 (xiànzhì) - To limit; a restriction. A much more neutral and common term than `束缚`.
• 约束 (yuēshù) - To restrain, to keep within bounds. Often implies self-control or control by agreement and rules.
• 羁绊 (jībàn) - Fetters, bonds. Almost always used for emotional or relational ties that are hard to break.
• 自由 (zìyóu) - Freedom, liberty. The primary antonym of `束缚`.
• 解放 (jiěfàng) - To liberate, to emancipate. The action of removing a `束缚`.
• 摆脱 (bǎituō) - To break away from, to cast off. Often used with `束缚`, as in `摆脱束缚` (to break free from the shackles).
• 传统 (chuántǒng) - Tradition. A common source of what people feel is a `束缚`.
• 责任 (zérèn) - Responsibility. Can often feel like a form of `束缚`.
• 压力 (yālì) - Pressure. A feeling closely associated with being `束缚`.
• 控制 (kòngzhì) - To control. `束缚` is a type of extreme `控制`.