斧

Tap the pinyin to hear it

hatchet

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

斤 meaning “axe” + 父 sound ( fù )

Components 父斤

axe · Heisig RSH #2313

父 father + tomahawk

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
神工鬼斧	shén gōng guǐ fǔ	see 鬼斧神工[gui3 fu3 shen2 gong1]
鬼斧神工	guǐ fǔ shén gōng	supernaturally fine craft (idiom); the work of the Gods; uncanny workmanship; superlative …
刀斧手	dāo fǔ shǒu	lictor
班门弄斧	Bān mén nòng fǔ	to display one's slight skill before an expert (idiom)
大刀阔斧	dà dāo kuò fǔ	bold and decisive
斧子	fǔ zi	axe; hatchet; CL:把[ba3]
斧头	fǔ tóu	ax; hatchet; CL:柄[bing3]
斧正	fǔ zhèng	(polite) please amend my writing
战斧	zhàn fǔ	battle-ax
板斧	bǎn fǔ	broad axe
镰刀斧头	lián dāo fǔ tóu	the hammer and sickle (flag of USSR, symbolizing rural and proletarian labor)
资斧	zī fǔ	(literary) money for a journey; travel expenses
宽斧	kuān fǔ	broadax; ax with a wide blade
操斧伐柯	cāo fǔ fá kē	(cf Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax; fig. to follow a principle…
不避斧钺	bù bì fǔ yuè	not trying to avoid the battle-ax (idiom); not afraid of dying in combat; not afraid of be…
刀锯斧钺	dāo jù fǔ yuè	knife, saw, ax and hatchet (idiom); facing torture and execution
斧钺之诛	fǔ yuè zhī zhū	to die by battle-ax (idiom); to be executed
斧钺汤镬	fǔ yuè tāng huò	battle-ax and boiling cauldron (idiom); facing torture and execution

Characters sharing the sound component 父 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
父 sound part	fù	father, dad
釜	fǔ	cauldron, kettle, pot