切割
qiē gē · HSK 7
to cut
✂️ 切割 = 切 slice + 割 sever; two cutting verbs stacked into one word for cut
切 — 七 (phonetic) + 刀 (knife radical)
切 is a semantic-phonetic compound: 刀 'knife' gives the meaning of cutting, while 七 supplies the sound. The original sense was to slice or cut with a blade. From there it extended figuratively to 'close to' (as in pressed against) and 'urgent/earnest', as in 切实.
割 — 害 (harm, phonetic) + 刂 (knife radical)
A semantic-phonetic compound: the knife radical 刂 gives the meaning 'cut,' while 害 supplies the sound. The original sense was to cut or slice with a blade, which extended to 'divide' and 'allot a share.' Modern uses like 割爱 (give up something dear) preserve this idea of cutting away.