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戕 is a phono-semantic compound: 戈 (a traditional Chinese polearm or halberd) provides the meaning, connecting the character to weaponry and violence, while 爿 indicates the sound. 爿 originally depicted split wood or a bed, but here it is purely phonetic. The character means to kill, injure, or harm, often with a cruel connotation, and in classical texts it refers to assassination, slaughter, and wartime destruction. The combination of a weapon radical and its phonetic creates a vivid image of violent, deadly action.
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