About
The character 削 is a phono-semantic compound, with the knife radical 刂 on the right serving as the semantic component indicating an action performed with a blade. The left component 肖 (xiào) provides the phonetic element. Its core meaning refers to the physical act of paring or whittling away material with a sharp tool. This sense extends metaphorically to describe the reduction or stripping away of abstract concepts, such as power, territory, or resources, making the term versatile in both practical and figurative contexts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我来削铅笔。
爸爸削苹果皮。
公司削减了开支。
这场战争削弱了经济。
他决定削发为僧。
商店正在削价促销。
政府计划削减不必要的预算。
过度捕捞严重削弱了海洋生态系统。