剧
jù · HSK 6
TV series etc
🎭 tiger 虍 + pig 豕 + knife 刂 = a dramatic clash on stage
The left side 豦 stacks a tiger over a pig — two beasts in conflict. Add the knife radical on the right and you get maximum drama, fitting for a word that means theatrical performance.
剧 — 豦 (tiger+pig) + 刂 knife radical
Originally written 劇, a phono-semantic compound: 豦 (jù, a fierce beast) gives the sound, while 刂 (knife) suggests intensity or cutting action. The original meaning was 'severe' or 'intense,' later extended to 'drama/play' since theatrical performances were dramatic and intense. 剧 is the simplified form.