铡 (zhá) - A type of large knife or guillotine used & to cut with such a tool.

铡Tone 2

zhá ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

铡 · zhá

A type of large knife or guillotine used for cutting fodder or as an execution device;

to cut with such a tool.

A type of large knife or guillotine usedto cut with such a tool.

Usage highlights

hay cutterfodder choppertigercut grasscut fodderexecution by guillotine

Synonyms

  • 刀— knife, blade (general term)
  • 砍刀— chopping knife

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The farmer used a hay cutter (铡刀) to chop straw.
  • In ancient times, execution by beheading was performed with a guillotine (铡刀).
  • He was cutting fodder with a fodder chopper (铡草机).
  • The historical drama featured a scene with an executioner's blade (虎头铡).

Collocations

  • hay cutter(铡刀)
  • fodder chopper(铡草机)
  • tiger-head guillotine(虎头铡)
  • cut grass(铡草)
  • cut fodder(铡饲料)
  • execution by guillotine(铡刑)

Idioms

  • The Tiger-Head Guillotine(虎头铡)
  • The Dog-Beheading Guillotine(狗头铡)
  • The Dragon-Head Guillotine(龙头铡)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 铡 is strongly associated with the 'Three Guillotines' (三口铡刀) from Chinese folklore and Judge Bao (包拯) stories, used to execute criminals of different social classes.
  • In agricultural contexts, it refers to tools for cutting animal fodder like hay or straw.
  • The character carries connotations of justice, punishment, and finality due to its execution device meaning.

FAQ