The Chinese characters 剃 meaning is shave.

剃 combines 弟 (younger brother) with 刂 (knife or razor). 弟, the phonetic, depicts a thread round a spindle and means, by extension, a succession of brothers or younger brothers. The growing hair is suggested by the thread being unwound from the spindle, and the addition of the razor (刂) gives us the character for shave: 剃. Our picture, however, shows how younger brother and razor, put together, can mean a close shave.

The Chinese characters 费 meaning is expenses; squander.

The phonetic: 弗 representing two rods bent in opposite directions being bound together, means “not”. 贝 is a picture of a cowrie shell, once used as money. 弗 placed over 贝 therefore signifies under-valuing money, by inference, to waste or squander: 费.

The Chinese characters 弗 meaning is not; no.

This Chinese character is both pictographic and ideographic. It depicts two divergent rods so tied together with a coil of rope that their forces are neutralized, suggesting opposition or negation; hence the meaning “not”.

The Chinese characters 弓 meaning is bow.

弓 is a radical representing a Chinese bow. The ancient form shows it bent or vibrating. Drawing the string of the bow produces the character, meaning to pull, guide or introduce. Though the bow is a lethal weapon for offence and defence, the proverb counsels: “Draw your bow, but don’t shoot.”

Tao Qian’s Return to Nature consists of five poems, of which the preceding one is the first and this is the third. The first describes the poet’s cottage and the third relates his rural life. There is nothing more prosaic than this simple rustic life from sunrise to sunset, yet Tao Qian makes it poetic by imparting to us his personal feeling which moves us to love what he loved.

RETURN TO NATURE
Beneath the southern hills I sow my bean,
Their shoots are lost among the rank grass green.
Early I rise to clear the weeds away;
I plod home, hoe on shoulder, with the moon ray.
The paths are narrow, tall are the growths new.
My clothes moistened by the evening dew.
What does it matter even if I’m wet,
So long as my heart’s desire can be met!

归园田居

种豆南山下，草盛豆苗稀。

晨兴理荒秽，带月荷锄归。

道狭草木长，夕露沾我衣。

衣沾不足惜，但使愿无违。

The Chinese characters 别 meaning is separate; depart.

The primitive form of this character combined 另 (pictograph of a bone) with 刂 (a variant of 刀). The completed character: 别 signifies the knife (刂) separating flesh from bone on and stands for separate, depart or differ.

The Chinese characters 利 meaning is benefit; gain.

Applying the sickle: 刂 (a variant of 刀) to the grain (禾) suggests reaping the harvest. i.e., profit, benefit or interest: 利. Often two parties quarrel, and a third party reaps the harvest. When the oyster and the heron fight, the saying goes: “The fisherman benefits.” (鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利)

The Chinese characters 分 meaning is divide; separate.

This ideogram is made up of 八 (divide), and clarified by radical 刀 (knife) to enforce the idea of dividing or separating. It is like dividing with a knife. 分 is used also for any small division, component or part, e.g., a minute, a mark or a cent.

The Chinese characters 刀 meaning is knife, sword.

This radical is a pictograph of a knife or sword. Wielded in the cause of justice, the sword protects the innocent; but brandished irresponsibly, it is double-edged. A sharp blade is likened to a person vested with too much power, and a proverb warns: “A knife that’s too sharp easily cuts the fingers.”

The Chinese characters 完 meaning is finish; complete.

This ideogram places roof (宀) over head (元). 元 means that which is upon (上 or 二) a person (人 or 儿), i.e., the head, origin or principle. So, putting on the roof over the head finishes (完) the building. Hence: 完, the end.