‘剖腹’ literally means 'to cut open the abdomen' — 剖 (pōu) means 'to cut open, to dissect', and 腹 (fù) means 'abdomen' or 'belly'. Together, they form a verb describing the surgical act of making an incision into the abdominal cavity. While it can refer to human medical procedures like cesarean sections (often called 剖腹产), it is more commonly used in veterinary contexts or biological research when referring to dissection for examination or diagnosis.

The term carries a clinical, technical tone and is rarely used in casual speech. It’s not interchangeable with general terms for surgery; instead, it specifically emphasizes the abdominal access point. In animal husbandry or lab settings, 剖腹 may describe post-mortem examinations to determine cause of death or study internal organs. Its connotation is neutral but precise — always implying intentional, controlled incision rather than accidental injury.