千刀万剐

qiān dāo wàn guǎ

(idiom) to hack (sb) to pieces (punishment in former times)

qiān

used in 鞦韆|秋千[qiu1 qian1]

dāo

knife; blade; single-edged sword; cutlass (CL:把[ba3])

wàn

ten thousand

guǎ

cut off the flesh as punishment