About
The character "削" has traditionally been written with the phonetic and semantic component "肖" on the left, which implies something thin or reduced, combined with the radical "刂" (刀, knife) on the right, indicating an action performed with a blade. This structure directly points to its original meaning of scraping or paring away a thin layer with a knife, such as peeling fruit or sharpening a tool. Over time, its application broadened from this concrete physical action to encompass more abstract or figurative senses of reduction and diminishment, such as weakening power, cutting down expenses, or lessening territory. The character thus retains a core conceptual link to making something smaller or thinner, a meaning embedded in its composite form where the blade radical executes the idea of reduction suggested by the accompanying component.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我来削铅笔。
爸爸削苹果皮。
公司削减了开支。
这场战争削弱了经济。
他决定削发为僧。
商店正在削价促销。
政府计划削减不必要的预算。
过度捕捞严重削弱了海洋生态系统。