嗛 (qiǎn) - To hold in the mouth & to contain

嗛Tone 3

qiǎn ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

器情

嗛 · qiǎn

To hold in the mouth;

to contain;

modest;

humble;

(archaic) to feel discontent or resentment.

To hold in the mouthto containmodest

Usage highlights

Hold in mouthHumble and modestHidden resentmentCarry foodModest wordsSquirrel's cheek pouch

Synonyms

  • 含— to hold in the mouth
  • 谦— modest, humble
  • 衔— to hold in the mouth

Antonyms

  • 傲— arrogant, proud
  • 吐— to spit out

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The squirrel held a nut in its mouth (嗛着一颗坚果).
  • He showed a humble attitude (态度谦嗛).
  • She felt a hidden resentment (心怀嗛怨).
  • The bird carried food for its young (嗛食归巢).

Collocations

  • Hold in mouth(口嗛)
  • Humble and modest(谦嗛)
  • Hidden resentment(嗛怨)
  • Carry food(嗛食)
  • Modest words(嗛言)
  • Squirrel's cheek pouch(鼠嗛)

Idioms

  • To harbor secret resentment(心怀嗛怨)
  • Modest and yielding(谦嗛退让)
  • To hold one's tongue(嗛口不言)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese, 嗛 was used to describe both the physical act of holding something in the mouth and the psychological state of feeling discontent.
  • The character appears in historical texts describing both animal behavior and human emotional states.
  • In modern usage, it's rare and primarily found in literary or historical contexts.

FAQ