处罚
chǔfá · HSK 5
punish
⚖️ 处罚 = handle (处) + fine/punish (罚) — to mete out punishment
处 means to handle or deal with; 罚 (with 网 net on top + 言 speech + 刂 knife) originally meant a verbal/legal penalty. Together: to handle by penalty, i.e. punish or penalize someone for wrongdoing.
处 — 夂 (foot) + 几 (low table/stool)
Originally depicted a person stopping (夂, an inverted foot) beside a stool (几), suggesting someone settling down in a place. From 'to dwell/stay' the meaning broadened to 'place, location' (chù) and 'to handle, deal with' (chǔ). The simplified form drops the older 虍 top found in 處.
罚 — net 罒 + words 言 + knife 刂
罚 (traditional 罰) combines 罒 (net), 言 (words/speech), and 刂 (knife), depicting punishment for verbal offenses — catching wrongdoers in a net and applying penalty. Originally referred to lighter punishments by reprimand, contrasted with 刑 for corporal punishment. Today it broadly means to punish or fine.