苛 kē severe
severe; harsh; exacting
怎么记住“苛”: 艹 grass + 可 may = severe. On the grass of this park only pigeons may walk, because the old guard is famously severe.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
苛 = 艹 grass + 可 may
- 艹 grass meaning
- 可 may sound
- 丁 male adult
- 口 mouth
On the grass of this park only pigeons may walk, because the old guard is famously severe.
How it came to be
Grass gives the meaning and the sign for may the sound; the word first meant small plants.
用法
- Harsh, exacting, over-demanding: 苛刻 (kēkè) harsh/stringent (of terms or people), 苛求 (kēqiú) to demand too much, 严苛 (yánkē) severe.
- Also oppressive: 苛捐杂税 (kējuān-záshuì) exorbitant taxes and levies. Contrast neutral 严格 (yángé) strict-but-fair; 苛 implies unreasonably harsh.