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剐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
剐guǎto cut; to sever flesh from bonev, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #28284, Very Hard
剐guǎcut off the flesh as punishmentunknown, 9 strokes, radical 刂, rank #28284, Very Hard
guǎ(gua3) T3
  1. 1to cut; to sever flesh from bone
  2. 2cut off the flesh as punishment
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

剐(剮)guǎ(gua3)

The character 剐 (guǎ) primarily means 'to cut' or 'to sever flesh from bone.' It is often used in the context of punishment, particularly in historical texts referring to a method of execution where flesh was cut off as a form of capital punishment. This word carries a heavy connotation and is rarely used in everyday conversation.

Strokes9Radical刂Frequency#28284DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, 剐 was a notorious method of execution used during certain dynasties, reflecting the harshness of historical legal systems. This word encapsulates a dark aspect of Chinese history and societal norms regarding punishment.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sharp knife (the radical 刀, meaning knife) slicing through flesh. The pronunciation 'guǎ' sounds like 'gore,' which reminds you of cutting or severing flesh. Visualize a gruesome scene to help remember the intensity of this word.

Meanings of 剐

guǎ(gua3)
1to cut; to sever flesh from bone
2cut off the flesh as punishment
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 剐

剐Simplified
剮Traditional
9Strokes
刂Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 剐

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Podcast: 剐

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AI Study Notes for 剐

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the use of 剐, as it is a strong and graphic term. It is more appropriate in literary or historical contexts rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include 剐刑 (guǎ xíng, meaning 'cutting punishment').

HSK Study Tips

Although 剐 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding this word can enhance your comprehension of historical texts and legal language in Chinese. Focus on recognizing the radical 刀 and connecting it to other words related to cutting or slicing.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 剐 with similar-sounding words or misinterpret its severity. For example, using it casually to mean 'to cut vegetables' would be incorrect; instead, use 切 (qiē) for such contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 剐

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Etymology of 剐

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

knife

Semantic (meaning)刂
+
Phonetic (sound)呙
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 剐

  1. 1The meaning half刂 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half呙 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayknife
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 剐? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 剐?

Decomposition of 剐

IDS Structure⿰呙刂
剐Full Character
=
呙Guo1
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 剐?

How to say to cut; to sever flesh from bone in Chinese

“to cut; to sever flesh from bone” in Chinese is剐guǎ

The character 剐 (guǎ) primarily means 'to cut' or 'to sever flesh from bone.' It is often used in the context of punishment, particularly in historical texts referring to a method of execution where flesh was cut off as a form of capital punishment. This word carries a heavy connotation and is rarely used in everyday conversation.

When to use 剐

Be cautious with the use of 剐, as it is a strong and graphic term. It is more appropriate in literary or historical contexts rather than casual conversation. Common collocations include 剐刑 (guǎ xíng, meaning 'cutting punishment').

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 剐 with similar-sounding words or misinterpret its severity. For example, using it casually to mean 'to cut vegetables' would be incorrect; instead, use 切 (qiē) for such contexts.

Write 剐

剐

Practice writing 剐 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 剐

Words Containing This Character2
剐guǎcut off the flesh as punishment剮
千刀万剐to make mincemeat of sb千刀萬剮
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 剐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 剐

It is rarely used in modern contexts and is mostly found in historical or literary discussions.

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