The kanji 彫 means to carve, engrave, or sculpt. It refers to the act of removing material from a surface to create a design, figure, or inscription. This can involve using tools to cut into wood, stone, metal, or other materials. It implies precision, skill, and the creation of something artistic or functional through the removal of material.

・On-yomi (音読み): チョウ (chou) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ほ(る) (ho(ru))

⚫︎ 彫刻 Translation: Sculpture, carving ⚫︎ 木彫り Translation: Wood carving ⚫︎ 彫る Translation: To carve; to engrave

The kanji 彫 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). ⚫︎ The phonetic component is 周 (shuu or around), which contributes to the sound. ⚫︎ The semantic component is 彡, and it depicts the shape of a knife. ⚫︎ Together, these components convey the meaning of using a tool to carve or engrave. The character's development shows the original form of a knife being used on a surface. Over time, it developed to its modern form.