to hack

to chop; to split open; (of lightning) to strike

sound (辟) + blade (刀) = to hack or split open

刀 anchors the meaning — a blade that hacks or cleaves through something. 辟 is purely phonetic, supplying the sound pī without contributing to the sense of splitting.

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KnifeSemantic
A complex character meaning to openPhonetic

他用斧头开了那根木头。

tā yòng fǔ tou pī kāi le nà gēn mù tou。

He used an axe to chop open that piece of wood.

昨晚一道闪电中了院子里的大树。

zuó wǎn yī dào shǎn diàn pī zhòng le yuàn zi lǐ de dà shù。

Last night a bolt of lightning struck the big tree in the courtyard.

Words with 劈

劈叉

pǐ chà

the splits (move in dancing)

劈哩啪啦

pī li pā lā

variant of 噼里啪啦[pi1 li5 pa1 la1]

劈啪

pī pā

(onom.) for crack, slap, clap, clatter etc

劈情操

pī qíng cāo

to have a friendly chat (Shanghai)

劈手

pī shǒu

with a lightning move of the hand

劈挂拳

pī guà quán

Piguaquan "Chop-Hanging Fist" (Chinese Martial Art)

劈柴

pī chái

to chop firewood

劈柴

pǐ chai

chopped wood

劈理

pī lǐ

(mining) cleavage

劈空扳害

pī kōng bān hài

damaged by groundless slander (idiom)

劈腿

pǐ tuǐ

to do the splits (gymnastics)

劈脸

pī liǎn

right in the face

More characters with 辟