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砍伐 (kǎn fá) — to cut down (trees); to fell

Definition

砍伐 specifically means cutting down trees (deforestation), always with 树/树木. Unlike the siblings — 减少, 缩短, 削减, 缩减 — it is NOT used for cutting budgets, costs, or lengths.

verb
to cut down (trees)to fell

Examples

  • 砍伐。
    Zhè piàn sēn lín bù yǔn xǔ kǎn fá shù mù.
    Felling trees is not allowed in this forest.
  • 砍伐。
    Tā men kǎn fá le hěn duō dà shù.
    They cut down a lot of big trees.
  • 砍伐。
    Guò dù kǎn fá huì pò huài shēng tài huán jìng.
    Excessive deforestation will damage the ecological environment.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

砍kǎnchop
伐fáfell; cut

砍 means chop and 伐 means fell; together they mean cutting down trees.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
欠
欠qiàn砍kǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

砍 combines 石 (rock) and 欠, which gives the sound.

Open 砍 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

伐 combines 人 (person) and 戈 (spear), drawing a spear at a person's neck to show cutting or striking.

Open 伐 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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