About
劓 is an ideogrammatic compound combining 鼻 (nose) and 刂 (knife), depicting the act of cutting off a nose. In early Chinese penal systems, it specifically denoted one of the five major corporal punishments. Its structure visually represents this violent act, and its meaning remains strictly tied to that historical context. The character appears in texts on ancient law or severe penalties, but is not used in modern daily language.
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