Definitions

mow

Etymology phono-semantic

knife

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "刈" structurally combines the component "乂", which likely indicates its pronunciation, with the knife radical "刂" to convey its semantic field related to cutting with a blade. Its etymology points to an early meaning centered on harvesting or mowing crops, a sense that has continued as its primary definition. While the character has occasionally been applied in broader contexts involving cutting or trimming, its core association with agricultural cutting has remained consistent.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Western Zhou (1045-771 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern