操斧伐柯

(cf Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax / fig. to follow a principle / fig. to act as matchmaker

old variant of 操[cao1]

to grasp / to hold / to operate / to manage / to control / to steer / to exercise / to drill (practice) / to play / to speak (a language)

variant of 肏[cao4]

hatchet

to cut down / to fell / to dispatch an expedition against / to attack / to boast / Taiwan pr. [fa1]

(cf Book of Songs) How to fashion an ax handle? You need an ax / fig. to follow a principle / fig. to act as matchmaker

surname Ke

tree branch / stem / ax handle

(literary) branch; stem; stalk / (literary) ax handle