杀 shā to kill
to kill; to murder; to slaughter
How it came to be
A hand with a weapon, the strike block, beside what the oldest forms draw as a speared animal. That is the full form. Simplifying cut the weapon away, so today's character draws nothing.
How it is used
- To kill - 杀人 (shā rén) kill a person, 杀害 (shāhài) murder, 自杀 (zìshā) suicide, 屠杀 (túshā) massacre.
- 杀手 (shāshǒu) = killer/assassin (also figurative, a 'killer' factor). 杀毒 (shādú) = to kill viruses (antivirus). 杀价 (shājià) = to beat down a price. 杀 is the blunt, direct word for taking life.