Origin

This character combines two components that together suggest violent cutting. The left part, 車, originally depicted a wheel or vehicle—something with rotating or circular motion. The right part, 斤, is a picture of an axe or chopping tool. When you put these together, the character creates an image of cutting something down with force, similar to how an axe splits wood or an executioner's blade works. Over time, this visual idea of forceful severing became associated with beheading and killing.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).