绝

The Chinese character 绝 (jué) is composed of two parts: the left component 氵(shuǐ) and the right component 舌 (shé). The left component 氵(shuǐ) represents water, while the right component 舌 (shé) represents the tongue. Together, they form the character 绝 (jué), which means "to cut off" or "to sever".The original meaning of 绝 (jué) was "to cut off the flow of water". In ancient China, water was essential for life, so cutting off the flow of water was a serious matter. It could mean cutting off someone's livelihood or even their life. Over time, the meaning of 绝 (jué) expanded to include other meanings, such as "to sever a relationship", "to be isolated", or "to be extinct".The character 绝 (jué) is also used in a number of idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 一刀两断 (yī dāo liǎng duàn) means "to cut something in two with one stroke", and the proverb 宁为玉碎，不为瓦全 (níng wéi yù suì, bù wéi wǎ quán) means "it is better to be broken jade than a whole tile".The character 绝 (jué) is a versatile character with a rich history and meaning. It is an important character to learn for HSK learners, as it is used in a variety of contexts.