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The character 劓 is structurally composed of 鼻, meaning "nose", and 刂, the knife radical, directly indicating its original referent: the punishment of nose amputation. This term was used in early Chinese penal codes to describe a specific judicial mutilation, and its form consistently reflects this violent action through its constituent parts. While the character's meaning has remained specific to this historical practice, its application has narrowed over time, shifting from a term in active legal use to one encountered primarily in classical or historical contexts.
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