Definition
首级 is a historical term referring to the severed head of an enemy soldier, collected in ancient Chinese warfare as a way to tally individual kills for military merit and rewards. The word is not used in modern daily conversation and appears mainly in historical texts, literature, or historical drama.
n.
severed head of an enemy soldier (historical)a unit of merit counted by severed heads (historical)
Examples
- ，首级。Zài gǔdài zhànzhēng zhōng, shìbīng bǎ dírén de shǒu jí zuòwéi zhàngōng de zhèngmíng.In ancient wars, soldiers used enemy heads as proof of military merit.
- 首级，。Tā kǎn xià le sān gè shǒu jí, yīncǐ dédào le shēngqiān.He cut off three heads and thus got a promotion.
- 首级。Xiǎoshuō lǐ miáoxiě le jiāngjūn shǔ shǒu jí de chǎngjǐng.The novel describes the scene of the general counting heads.
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