“诛”字的本义是“责罚、责备”，由“责罚、责备”义引申出“杀戮”。早在春秋后期，“诛”字便引申出了“杀戮”之义。但“杀戮”之义直到汉代才逐渐成熟并占据主导地位。“诛”表“杀戮”义兴起的缘由大约有三个：1．春秋战国时期君王具有绝对的统治力，往往君主的“责罚”被引申为“杀戮”；2．“诛”“杀”二字的经常性连用，并逐渐凝固成词，促进了“杀戮”义的发展；3．“责”字分担了“诛”字的一部分“责备、责罚”义，使“诛”得以专表“杀戮”义。%The original meaning of “诛 ( zhu )” is “punish” or “blame”, from which the meaning of “kill-ing” was extended as early as in the late Spring and Autumn period .But this meaning was matured and became the dominant meaning until the Han dynasty .Reasons for the meaning change of “诛 (zhu)” are as follows:first, the emperors in the Spring and Autumn period had absolute dominance and their punishment is often extended to “kill-ing”;second, the words of “诛 ( zhu)” and“杀 ( sha)” often used together and gradually solidified into a word , thus promoting formation of the meaning of “杀戮 ( shalu, kill)”;third, the word of “责 ( ze)” partly shares the meaning of “blame” and “punish” so that the meaning of “诛 ( zhu)” is particularly “杀戮 ( shalu, kill)”.
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