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剀 is a phono-semantic compound: the knife radical 刂 (dāo) gives the meaning, while 岂 (qǐ) provides the sound. The traditional form 剴 uses 豈, later simplified to 岂. Originally meaning 'to cut or scrape', the character's sense broadened to describe something thorough, earnest, or hitting the mark exactly, often used for frank, direct advice or admonition that cuts straight to the core of an issue.
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