悲剧
bēijù · HSK 5
tragedy
😢 悲剧 = 悲 (sad) + 剧 (drama/play) — a sad drama
悲 means sorrow or grief; 剧 means drama or theatrical play. Together they form the word for tragedy, literally a sorrowful play — the same logic as the Greek roots behind the English word.
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.