中文複合詞裡含有死字的複合動詞十分繁多而且語意變換奧妙有趣，本研究即探討這些複合動詞裡死字的意義、功能、及論旨結構。研究結果為中文裡有基本五類的動詞性死複合詞，首先最普遍的為表結果的死複合動詞，死的含意為最原始的「死掉」意義；之後的三種死複合詞都具有語法化的死，意義各為「致極端的程度」、「執著持續」、「無動靜僵住狀態」；最後一種死複合動詞是由經由句法使動結構過程形成，它可以是從非受格性的死複合動詞變化而來，或是由原因 -結果兩事件合併過程經由詞彙論旨角色的重新分配而成。這五類死複合動詞看似不同但彼此有系統性關聯，或由語法化的關係相連接，或經由結果結構或使動結構的句法過程相連接；前者造成死字語意的些微變換，後者造成複合動詞內部論旨結構的換位。

Mandarin compound verbs containing si ‘die’ are numerous and intriguing with varying meanings of si. This study investigates the meanings, functions, and thematic structures of all si-compounds. It was found that there are five basic categories of verbal si-compounds. The most common type is the resultative si-compound with the prototypical meaning of ‘to die.’ The three types have the grammaticalized si meaning of ‘to the extreme degree,’ ‘persistence,’ and ‘motionless and fixed state.’ The last type is one derived through a process of causative construction either from unaccusative si-compounds or from lexical re-mapping of theta roles in a composite causal-caused event. The five types of si-compounds all show a systematic relation among themselves either via the grammaticalization of si, or via the syntactic process of resultativity and causativity. The former causes the meaning of si to change, and the latter, the thematic structure alternation in compound verbs.