处分
chǔfèn · HSK 5
punishment
⚖️ 处 = handle/deal with + 分 = portion → mete out a portion of discipline
处 carries the sense of handling or dealing with a matter; 分 means a share or portion. Together 处分 literally means to deal out someone's share — in this case, a share of discipline or punishment imposed by an authority.
处 — 夂 (foot) + 几 (low table/stool)
Originally depicted a person stopping (夂, an inverted foot) beside a stool (几), suggesting someone settling down in a place. From 'to dwell/stay' the meaning broadened to 'place, location' (chù) and 'to handle, deal with' (chǔ). The simplified form drops the older 虍 top found in 處.
分 — knife 刀 + eight 八 (split apart)
分 originally depicted a knife (刀) cutting something into two parts, shown by 八 above (which itself meant 'divide'). The core sense is 'to divide' or 'split', from which extended meanings like 'portion', 'minute', and 'part' developed. Pronounced fèn, it carries the sense of an allotted share.