yuè​zú​shì​jù

to cut the feet to fit the shoes

  1. to amputate the feet
    (bound form) to cut off one or both feet; an ancient Chinese criminal punishment, one of the five mutilations known as 五刑 wǔ​xíng
  2. nounverb
    foot
    (bound form) foot; leg; the lower extremity of the leg
  3. shì verbadjective
    to fit
    to fit; to suit; to be appropriate or suitable
  4. sandals; to tread
    (bound form) straw or hemp sandals common in ancient China; generally used to refer to any footwear in literary contexts; also used in archaic contexts to mean to step or tread