伐

fá

亻 + 戈

Definitions

fá (verb) to cut down; to fell

fá (verb) to attack; to dispatch an expedition against

fá (verb) to boast

Etymology

Depicts a weapon (戈) slashing a person's (亻) neck. Based on the original meaning "to behead someone". The meaning later shifted to "to attack" and "cut down".

About

The character 伐 is an ideogrammatic compound that brings together 亻 (person) and 戈 (a halberd or spear). This visually represents a weapon slashing a person's neck, originally meaning "to behead". The meaning later shifted to "to attack" (as in a military expedition) and "to cut down" (trees and branches). It also took on the figurative sense of boasting about one's achievements.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他们在森林里伐木。

Tāmen zài sēnlín lǐ fá mù.

They are cutting down trees in the forest.

伐木工人每天工作。

Fámù gōngrén měitiān gōngzuò.

Loggers work every day.

为了保护环境，减少伐木。

Wèile bǎohù huánjìng, jiǎnshǎo fámù.

To protect the environment, reduce tree cutting.

政府禁止非法伐木。

Zhèngfǔ jìnzhǐ fēifǎ fámù.

The government prohibits illegal logging.

古代国王经常讨伐邻国。

Gǔdài guówáng jīngcháng tǎofá lín guó.

Ancient kings often launched punitive expeditions against neighboring countries.

这场战争是为了讨伐叛乱者。

Zhè chǎng zhànzhēng shì wèile tǎofá pànluàn zhě.

This war is to suppress the rebels.

在历史上，许多帝国通过征伐扩张领土。

Zài lìshǐ shàng, xǔduō dìguó tōngguò zhēngfá kuòzhāng lǐngtǔ.

In history, many empires expanded their territory through conquest.

环保组织强烈谴责滥伐森林的行为。

Huánbǎo zǔzhī qiángliè qiǎnzé lànfá sēnlín de xíngwéi.

Environmental organizations strongly condemn the act of deforestation.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 亻

Component: 戈

Example Words