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肢解 (zhī jiě) — to dismember (a body); to break into parts (figuratively, e.g., an organization or system)

Definition

Literally 'dismember' (cut the body into pieces), used figuratively for breaking an organization, system, or whole into smaller parts — as in breaking up a company or splitting a structure.

verb
to dismember (a body)to break into parts (figuratively, e.g., an organization or system)

Examples

  • 肢解。
    Jǐng chá fā xiàn zuì fàn zhī jiě le shī tǐ.
    The police discovered that the criminal had dismembered the body.
  • 肢解。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī bèi zhī jiě chéng le jǐ gè xiǎo gōng sī.
    This company was broken into several small companies.
  • 肢解。
    Tā men shì tú zhī jiě nà ge zǔ zhī.
    They tried to dismember that organization.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

肢zhīlimb
解jiěcut apart

肢 'limb' and 解 'cut apart' combine to mean dismember.

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
肉肉ròuflesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
支
支zhī肢zhī
Same sound today

肢 pairs 肉 (flesh) with 支, which gives the sound.

Open 肢 →

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

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

Open 解 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

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