刳 (kū) - to cut open & to hollow out

刳Tone 1

kū ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 刂

俊梁

刳 · kū

to cut open;

to hollow out;

to disembowel;

to scoop out.

to cut opento hollow outto disembowel

Usage highlights

hollow out woodcut open and removescoop out the heartdisembowel an animalhollowedcut open the stomach

Synonyms

  • 剖— to cut open; to dissect
  • 挖— to dig out; to excavate
  • 剔— to pick out; to scrape clean

Antonyms

  • 填— to fill
  • 补— to mend; to repair

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient ritual involved disemboweling (刳木) a sacrificial animal.
  • He hollowed out (刳空) the wood to make a canoe.
  • The surgeon performed a procedure to remove (刳剔) the affected tissue.

Collocations

  • hollow out wood(刳木)
  • cut open and remove(刳剔)
  • scoop out the heart(刳心)
  • disembowel an animal(刳兽)
  • hollowed-out vessel(刳舟)
  • cut open the stomach(刳腹)

Idioms

  • Hollow out a boat from a tree trunk(刳木为舟)
  • Cut open the stomach and wash the intestines(刳腹洗肠)
  • Carve a turtle shell for divination(刳龟)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Associated with ancient rituals and sacrifices, often involving the preparation of animals or objects.
  • Reflects early Chinese craftsmanship techniques, such as hollowing wood for boats or vessels.
  • Used in historical medical or punitive contexts, though modern usage is rare and mostly literary.

FAQ