列
liè · HSK 4
arrange
📋 列 = 歹 (bone fragments) + 刂 (knife): cut bones into a row
Etymology: the left side 歹 depicts bone fragments and the right side 刂 is the knife radical. Original sense was cutting things apart and laying the pieces in order, which generalised to 'arrange in a line' or 'list'.
列 — 歹 (bone fragments) + 刂 (knife)
Originally depicted cutting bones apart with a knife, showing the act of separating things into pieces. The meaning extended from 'to divide' to 'arrange in a row' or 'sequence,' since dividing items naturally produces an ordered series. Today it primarily means 'row,' 'line,' or 'to list.'