to kill

JLPT N5 6 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Usage of (shā)

The character primarily means "to kill" in a literal sense, such as killing a person or animal. It is commonly used in contexts involving violence, hunting, or crime. For example, "" means "murderer."

Besides the literal meaning, is also used figuratively in everyday speech, such as in the phrase "时间" (kill time), which means to pass time or occupy oneself.

Common Collocations

  • (to kill a person): used in criminal or violent contexts.
  • (to kill to death): emphasizes the act of killing.
  • 时间 (to kill time): to pass time, often casually.

Notes

When using , be aware that it is a strong verb with serious connotations when referring to people or animals. In casual or non-literal contexts like "时间," the tone is lighter. Avoid confusing with similar verbs like (to hit) or (to beat to death), which have different nuances.

In summary, is a versatile verb with both literal and figurative uses, important for expressing acts of killing or passing time in Mandarin.

Example Sentences

He plays a murderer in the movie.

This mosquito is really annoying, I want to kill it.

To protect the environment, we should kill illegally caught fish.

He killed that wild boar with a knife.

There are many ways to kill time, such as reading or listening to music.