Usage of 裁
The character 裁 primarily means "to cut" or "to tailor," often used in contexts related to cutting fabric or materials. It also extends metaphorically to mean "to reduce" or "to lay off" in business contexts, such as裁员 (laying off employees). Additionally, 裁 is used in legal contexts to mean "to judge" or "to rule," as in 裁定 (to adjudicate).
Common Collocations
- 裁缝 (tailor): refers to a person who cuts and sews clothes.
- 裁员 (lay off employees): used in business to indicate workforce reduction.
- 裁判 (judgment/referee): related to legal or sports decisions.
Notes
When using 裁 in the sense of cutting fabric, it often pairs with 布 (fabric). In legal or decision-making contexts, it appears in compounds like 裁定 or 裁判. Avoid confusing 裁 with 剪 (jiǎn), which also means "to cut" but is more general and often used for scissors cutting paper or hair. 裁 implies a more precise or formal cutting or decision process.