刽 (guì): (in 刽子手) executioner; (figurati…

Meanings

刽子手举起了大刀。

Guìzishǒu jǔqǐ le dàdāo.

The executioner raised his broadsword.

历史谴责那些屠杀无辜的刽子手。

Lìshǐ qiǎnzé nàxiē túshā wúgū de guìzishǒu.

History condemns those butchers who slaughtered the innocent.

usage

Used in 刽子手, literally an executioner and, figuratively, anyone who kills cruelly. An older reading kuài exists but guì is standard today.

radical

刂 dāo

knife

The side-form of the knife radical 刀 gives the meaning: 刽 is about cutting and beheading, the work of an executioner.

phonetic

会 huì

to meet; gather

Supplies the sound element; the reading has shifted from huì toward guì over time, a common kind of phonetic drift.

刽 guì