About
The character 裁 derives from the practice of tailoring, with its structure incorporating the semantic component 衣, denoting clothing, and the component 戋, which carries connotations of cutting and serves a phonetic role. This composition directly correlates to its original sense of cutting cloth to make garments. From this concrete meaning, the term gradually acquired abstract applications, extending to denote acts of judgment, decision-making, and adjudication in various contexts, and later developed further to signify the reduction or elimination of elements, as in the dismissal of personnel. The consistent visual presence of 衣 within the character continues to reference its foundational association with textile work, while the breadth of its modern meanings illustrates a semantic expansion from material action to administrative and figurative concepts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
妈妈在裁剪布料。
裁判吹响了哨子。
他是专业的裁缝。
公司决定裁员。
我们需要裁减开支。
国际社会实施制裁。
法官作出了公正的裁决。
这篇稿件需要裁断。