噬 (shì) - to bite & to gnaw

噬Tone 4

shì ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

噬 · shì

to bite;

to gnaw;

to devour;

to swallow;

to erode;

often used metaphorically for destruction or consumption.

to biteto gnawto devour

Usage highlights

to biteto devourto gnawto erodebite backbite and not let go

Synonyms

  • 咬— to bite (more common, less intense)
  • 吞— to swallow
  • 啃— to gnaw

Antonyms

  • 吐— to spit out
  • 呕— to vomit

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The dog bit the bone (噬骨).
  • Corrosion slowly eats away at metal (金属被慢慢噬蚀).
  • The company was swallowed up by a larger competitor (被大公司吞噬).
  • He was gnawed by regret (被悔恨噬咬).

Collocations

  • to bite(噬咬)
  • to devour(吞噬)
  • to gnaw(噬啃)
  • to erode(噬蚀)
  • bite back(反噬)
  • bite and not let go(噬而不放)

Idioms

  • Bitten by a snake, afraid of a well rope for ten years(一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳)
  • Like a tiger devouring a sheep(如虎噬羊)
  • The backlash of evil deeds(恶行反噬)
  • Wolves devour(狼噬)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical texts, 噬 often appears in descriptions of animals attacking or natural forces destroying.
  • The character carries a strong, somewhat violent connotation, used in both literal and metaphorical senses of consumption or destruction.
  • It appears in some historical texts describing battles or natural disasters where things are 'devoured' or 'eroded'.

FAQ