to hack to pieces; originally referring to the ancient punishment of lingchi or 'death by a thousand cuts', this idiom is now mostly used as a curse for someone who has committed a terrible crime

An ancient form of execution in which the victim was slowly killed by cutting the body into many pieces; also known as [[凌迟|凌遲|ling2 chi2]] or [[陵迟|陵遲|ling2 chi2]].

One who does not fear the death of a thousand cuts will dare to unhorse the emperor; to a fearless person, no obstacle is too great.

metaphor for prolonging someone's suffering or inflicting slow agony