大辟

大辟

1. (historical) capital punishment; decapitation (one of the Five Punishments in feudal China)

   • 其死罪，則曰「某之罪在大辟」；其刑罪，則曰「某之罪在小辟」。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     其死罪，则曰“某之罪在大辟”；其刑罪，则曰“某之罪在小辟”。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Rites, circa 4^th – 2^nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Qí sǐzuì, zé yuē “mǒu zhī zuì zài dàpì”; qí xíngzuì, zé yuē “mǒu zhī zuì zài xiǎopì”. [Pinyin]

     If the penalty were death, he would say, “The offence of So and So is a capital crime.” If the penalty were less, he would say, “The offence of So and So has received a lighter sentence.”

• 死刑 (sǐxíng)