解剖
jiěpǒu · HSK 7
dissect
🔪 解 = separate + 剖 = cut open: to cut something apart, i.e. dissect
解 (jiě) means to untie or separate, the same 解 in 解决 (solve). 剖 (pǒu) means to split or cut open. Together: separating by cutting open — dissection.
解 — horn 角 + knife 刀 + ox 牛
解 is an ideograph showing hands using a knife (刀) to separate the horn (角) from an ox (牛). The original meaning was to butcher or dismember an ox, which broadened to 'untie, separate, loosen,' and then extended figuratively to 'explain' or 'understand'—to take something apart mentally.