斩 Stroke Order

cleave through the waves

lit. to chop the nail and slice the iron (idiom) / fig. resolute and decisive / unhesitating / categorical

Copy cut

lit. to cut one's way through thistles and thorns (idiom) / fig. to overcome all obstacles on the way / to break through hardships / to blaze a new trail

to behead

to cut off / to chop sth in half

to cut weeds and eliminate the roots (idiom); to destroy root and branch / to eliminate completely

gain / capture / behead / decapitate / take prisoner

to chop sb in half at the waist (capital punishment) / to cut sth in half / to reduce sth by a dramatic margin / to terminate / to cut short

genocide / kill all / completely annihilate / have sb. wiped out

Cut down

lit. quick sword cuts through tangled hemp (idiom); decisive action in a complex situation / cutting the Gordian knot

behead / decapitate

first decapitate then present your trophy (idiom); act first, report later

to surmount all difficulties (on the way to success) (idiom) / abbr. for 過五關斬六將|过五关斩六将[guo4 wu3 guan1 zhan3 liu4 jiang4]

lit. to cross five passes and slay six generals (idiom) / fig. to surmount all difficulties (on the way to success)