About
The character 翦 incorporates 羽 for feather and 前 as a phonetic element, denoting its early sense of cutting feathers or hair. Etymologically, it derives from actions involving shearing, and it was often used synonymously with 剪 to mean cutting with scissors. Its semantic range later broadened to encompass meanings such as to exterminate or wipe out, particularly in historical texts, and it functions as a surname originating from these associations.
Etymology Hide
