别
彆biè
#222 most
frequent character
to make sb change their ways, opinions etc
Character breakdown
Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
别 joins 另, a form of 冎 bones, with 刂 knife. That gives the first meaning, 'cutting meat off bone'. From there it grew to 'separate', 'differentiate', 'moreover', and 'leave'. The sense 'not' was borrowed only for the sound.
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