斩

斬

zhǎn

斤 + 车

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

zhǎn (verb) to behead; to chop; to cut off

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 车 represents the sound and 斤 represents the meaning. Simplified from 斬.

Semantic: 斤 Phonetic: 车

About

The character 斩 is a phono-semantic compound simplified from 斬. It pairs the phonetic component 车 (chē, cart) with the semantic component 斤 (jīn, axe), which points to the core meaning of chopping, cutting off, or severing with a heavy blade. The character most often appears in contexts of judicial beheading, severe physical cutting, or the decisive severing of abstract ties, connections, and negative circumstances.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他用刀斩断树枝。

Tā yòng dāo zhǎn duàn shùzhī.

He used a knife to cut off the tree branch.

勇士斩杀了凶恶的敌人。

Yǒngshì zhǎn shā le xiōng'è de dírén.

The warrior slew the vicious enemy.

这位选手斩获了三枚奖牌。

Zhè wèi xuǎnshǒu zhǎn huò le sān méi jiǎngpái.

This contestant won three medals.

厨师斩鸡骨的动作很熟练。

Chúshī zhǎn jīgǔ de dòngzuò hěn shúliàn.

The chef's action of chopping chicken bones is very skilled.

战争斩断了两国间的贸易。

Zhànzhēng zhǎn duàn le liǎng guó jiān de màoyì.

The war severed trade between the two countries.

他的新发明斩获了巨额投资。

Tā de xīn fāmíng zhǎn huò le jù'é tóuzī.

His new invention secured huge investments.

激光能够斩断坚硬的合金材料。

Jīguāng nénggòu zhǎn duàn jiānyìng de héjīn cáiliào.

Laser can cut through hard alloy materials.

政府决心斩断腐败的利益链条。

Zhèngfǔ juéxīn zhǎn duàn fǔbài de lìyì liàntiáo.

The government is determined to cut off the corruption interest chain.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 斤

Component: 车

斩