剐 (guǎ) — to cut to pieces, to dismember; to slit, to cut open
Definition
A formal, literary verb for cutting into pieces, most often seen in the historical punishment 千刀万剐 ('death by a thousand cuts') and in 剐刑 ('punishment by dismemberment'). Rare in everyday speech.
verb
to cut to piecesto dismemberto slitto cut open
Examples
- 剐。Tā yīn wèi qiǎng jié bèi chǔ yǐ guǎ xíng.He was sentenced to death by dismemberment for robbery.
- ，剐。Nà bǎ dāo hěn fēng lì, qīng qīng yì guǎ jiù huá pò le pí fū.That knife is so sharp that a gentle slit cuts the skin.
- 。Gǔ dài yǒu yì zhǒng cán kù de xíng fá jiào qiān dāo wàn guǎ.In ancient times there was a cruel punishment called 'death by a thousand cuts'.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 剮; 剐 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
咼
咼wāi剮guǎ
Same sound today
The traditional form 剮 combines 咼, a sound part, with 刀, a knife, for the meaning cut.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.