斩Tone 3

zhǎn ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 斤

斩 · zhǎn

to chop;

to cut;

to behead;

to execute by decapitation.

to chopto cutto behead

Usage highlights

to beheadto cut offto chop downto annihilateto executeto eliminate

Synonyms

砍— to chop; to hack
切— to cut; to slice
杀— to kill

Antonyms

生— to give birth; to live
救— to save; to rescue

Usage & contexts

Examples

The lumberjack chopped down the tree (斩树).
The general ordered to execute the traitor (斩叛徒).
We must cut off the enemy's retreat (斩断敌人的退路).

Collocations

to behead(斩首)
to cut off(斩断)
to chop down(斩伐)
to annihilate(斩尽杀绝)
to execute(斩决)
to eliminate(斩除)

Idioms

Cut the nails and slice the iron(斩钉截铁)
Kill a chicken to warn the monkeys(杀鸡儆猴, related concept)
First rank beheading(先斩后奏)

Cultural background

Historically associated with execution by decapitation, a common capital punishment in imperial China.
Used metaphorically to denote decisive action or complete elimination, as in 'cutting off at the root'.

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