杀害 (shāhài) means 'to murder' — it specifically refers to intentionally killing a person, often with a sense of violence or injustice. It is more formal and specific than 杀 (shā), which is a general 'kill' used for people, animals, or even abstract things like prices. Unlike 刺 (cì 'to stab'), 杀害 focuses on the act of killing, not the method.