cruel

桀 is composed of 舛 (contradictory) and 木 (tree). 舛 depicts two soles of the feet pointing in opposite directions, while 木 is a pictograph of a tree. Therefore, 桀 conveys the idea of two feet standing on a tree, and carries the meaning of standing out or being outstanding. Later, this sense was taken over by the character 傑. Because an ancient tyrant took 桀 as his title, 桀 also came to mean violent or cruel.