(zǎn) - To bite & to taste

Tone 3

zǎn | 15 strokes | radical:

· zǎn

To bite;

to taste;

to nibble;

to peck (as a bird).

To biteto tasteto nibble

Usage highlights

To peck at foodTo taste medicineTo nibble on somethingInsect nibblingBird peckingLight tasting

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • to spit out
  • to vomit

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The bird pecked at the fruit (鸟噆果).
  • He tasted the medicine carefully (他小心噆药).
  • The insect nibbled on the leaf (昆虫噆叶).

Collocations

  • To peck at food(噆食)
  • To taste medicine(噆药)
  • To nibble on something(噆物)
  • Insect nibbling(虫噆)
  • Bird pecking(鸟噆)
  • Light tasting(浅噆)

Idioms

  • To taste and savor(噆味)
  • To peck and eat(噆啄)
  • To nibble and chew(噆嚼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character is relatively rare in modern usage, primarily appearing in classical texts.
  • Often used in descriptions of animals or insects eating, particularly birds pecking.
  • Can be used metaphorically for tasting or sampling something carefully.

FAQ