砍 kǎn to hack
to hack; to chop; to cut; to fell; to cut down
How to remember 砍: 石 stone + 欠 to lack = to hack. With only a sharp stone, his axe lacking after the move, the camper tries to hack a few branches for the fire.
Component breakdown
砍 = 石 stone + 欠 to lack
- 石 stone
- 欠 to lack
With only a sharp stone, his axe lacking after the move, the camper tries to hack a few branches for the fire.
How it is used
- To chop/hack/cut down - 砍树 (kǎn shù) to fell a tree, 砍柴 (kǎn chái) to chop firewood.
- 砍伐 (kǎnfá) = to fell/log trees (formal, environmental contexts).
- Figurative 'to slash/cut': 砍价 (kǎnjià) to haggle/bargain down a price, 砍预算 to slash a budget.
- Implies a forceful downward blow with a blade.