About
The character "伐" has consistently retained its structural composition of the radical for "person" (人) positioned beside the pictograph for "dagger-axe" (戈), a formation that visually conveys the original concept of a strike or attack with a weapon. Its earliest meanings were quite literal, centered on the act of military assault, punitive expedition, or even execution by beheading. Over time, the semantic field of "伐" broadened from this martial core, developing a significant extended meaning of "to cut down" or "fell", as in felling trees, which aligns with the forceful action implied by its form. Additionally, it acquired a more abstract, verbal usage meaning "to boast" or "make a show of one's achievements", a sense derived from the idea of proclaiming one's military exploits. Thus, while its graphic form has remained stable, the applications of "伐" have extended from concrete violent action to include both a specific physical labor and a psychological expression of self-aggrandizement.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他们在森林里伐木。
伐木工人每天工作。
为了保护环境，减少伐木。
政府禁止非法伐木。
古代国王经常讨伐邻国。
这场战争是为了讨伐叛乱者。
在历史上，许多帝国通过征伐扩张领土。
环保组织强烈谴责滥伐森林的行为。