理发 (lǐ fà) literally means 'to manage hair' — 理 (lǐ) conveys the idea of arranging, tidying, or handling, while 发 (fà) means 'hair'. Together, they form a common verb meaning 'to get a haircut' or 'to have one's hair cut'. It refers specifically to the act of cutting and styling hair at a barber shop or salon, not just brushing or washing it. The word is used in both casual and formal contexts and is neutral in register.

This verb is typically used intransitively with the subject being the person receiving the haircut (e.g., 我去理发 — 'I’m going to get a haircut'), though it can occasionally appear transitively when specifying who is cutting (e.g., 他帮我理发 — 'He gave me a haircut'). Unlike some verbs, it does not require an object — saying 理发 is complete on its own. It’s frequently paired with time expressions (e.g., 每个月理发一次) or location words (e.g., 去理发店).