伐 fá |
cut down ; strike |
采伐 cǎi fá |
征伐 zhēng fá | |
Its original meaning was “to behead” (e.g. 伐+羌 in oracle bone inscriptions meant “to behead ten people of the jiang,” a nationality in primitive times). Later, it extended to mean “to chop off” and “to go on a punitive expedition.” Graphically, it is a 戈, a weapon in ancient times, cutting the head of a man. |