The Chinese word 刽子手 (guìzishǒu), meaning "executioner" or more broadly "one who carries out cruel acts," is formed through a logical and historical compounding of characters: 刽 (guì) itself is a rare character specifically meaning "to cut off limbs" or "to execute by cutting," derived from the ancient penal practice of dismemberment; 子 (zi) here functions as a nominalizing suffix often used for professions or roles (similar to "-er" in English); and 手 (shǒu) literally means "hand," metaphorically indicating a person skilled in or responsible for a specific task. Thus, the term literally constructs the meaning "one whose skilled hand performs executions by cutting," a vivid occupational title that has endured in the language.