杀 (shā): to kill; to murder

Meanings

1 to kill; to murder
2 to slaughter; to fight

Characters

杀

shā

to kill; to slaughter

Examples

HSK 6

他在比赛中杀入了决赛。

Tā zài bǐsài zhōng shā rù le juésài.

He fought his way into the finals.

HSK 7-9

不要杀害无辜的人。

Bùyào shāhài wúgū de rén.

Don't kill innocent people.

HSK 7-9

这个杀虫剂效果很好。

Zhège shāchóngjì xiàoguǒ hěn hǎo.

This insecticide is very effective.

Tips

usage

杀 has many compounds: 杀害 (to murder), 杀毒 (to disinfect/antivirus), 杀虫剂 (insecticide), 杀价 (to bargain down a price).

usage

In gaming slang, 杀 is commonly used for 'to kill' an opponent: 我杀了他 (I killed him).

Components

radical

木 mù

tree; wood (here: target)

Bottom 木-shape - the indexing radical, though historically not a real tree here. The original 殺 had a hand striking a creature; modern simplification reduced the lower portion to this tree-like silhouette. The radical assignment is graphic rather than semantic; the 'kill' meaning is carried by the cutting motion above, not by the wood.

semantic

乂 yì

scythe; cross-cut

Top forms a crossing cut-stroke - historically the simplified residue of 杀's traditional 殺, which had the cutting graph 乂 plus a hand striking. The X-shape gives the impression of slicing through. Together with the wood below it depicts a tool striking a target.