杀 (shā) - to kill & to slaughter

杀Tone 1

shā ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 木

三姗

杀 · shā

to kill;

to slaughter;

to murder;

to fight;

to weaken;

to reduce;

to eliminate;

to damage;

to spoil.

to killto slaughterto murder

Usage highlights

killmurderbactericideinsecticidehomicideslaughter

Synonyms

  • 宰— slaughter (animals)
  • 屠— massacre, butcher
  • 灭— exterminate, destroy

Antonyms

  • 生— to live, to give birth
  • 救— to save, to rescue
  • 活— to live, alive

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The soldier killed the enemy (杀死敌人).
  • We need to disinfect and kill germs (杀菌).
  • The pesticide kills insects (杀虫剂).
  • He was charged with murder (杀人).

Collocations

  • kill(杀死)
  • murder(杀人)
  • bactericide(杀菌)
  • insecticide(杀虫剂)
  • homicide(杀人罪)
  • slaughter(屠杀)

Idioms

  • Kill one to warn a hundred(杀一儆百)
  • Kill the chicken to scare the monkey(杀鸡儆猴)
  • Engage in a life-and-death struggle(杀个你死我活)
  • Kill two birds with one stone(一箭双雕, sometimes 一举两得, though not directly using 杀)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In historical contexts, 杀 was used in legal codes and military strategies.
  • The character appears in many idioms conveying warnings or extreme consequences.
  • In modern usage, it extends metaphorically to eliminating abstract threats like germs or data.

FAQ