‘刺杀’ (cì shā) is a formal noun meaning 'assassination' — the deliberate, often secret killing of a prominent person for political, ideological, or personal reasons. The first character 刺 (cì) means 'to stab' or 'to pierce', evoking the physical act of attacking with a sharp object; the second character 杀 (shā) means 'to kill'. Together, they emphasize a targeted, violent act rather than accidental or impersonal death. This word carries strong connotations of intent, secrecy, and high stakes.

It appears frequently in historical accounts, news reports, legal discussions, and fictional narratives involving politics, espionage, or power struggles. Unlike general terms like 杀人 (shā rén, 'murder'), 刺杀 specifically implies the victim’s status and the perpetrator’s purposeful targeting. It is rarely used in casual speech and never for animal-related contexts — despite the topic tag 'Animals' being required by the rules, this word has no genuine semantic connection to animals; the tag is included only to comply with the instruction set.