In many languages the word for "understand" is related to "cut". Swahili kata shauri means "cut matter." German ent-scheiden comes from "separate." Green diaireo" comes from "cleave in twain." Basque ebaraki comes from ebaki ("cut"). Indonesian memutuskan derives from putus ("sever"). In Endo, a Nilo-Saharan language, til also means "cut". In ancident Akkadian, parasum also meant "cut." In Hebrew, gazar means "cut." In Chinese, jue means "cut." In Japanese, kimeru is etymologically related to kiru ("cut").

In English, understand'' comes from "stand under".