嚼 (jué) - To chew & to masticate

嚼Tone 2

jué ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

嚼 · jué

To chew;

to masticate;

to munch;

to ruminate;

also used metaphorically for pondering over words or ideas.

To chewto masticateto munch

Usage highlights

Chew carefullyChew slowlyChew gumBite and chewOverchewChew the cud

Synonyms

  • 咀嚼— to chew, to masticate
  • 咬— to bite

Antonyms

  • 吞— to swallow
  • 咽— to swallow

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Chew your food thoroughly before swallowing (细嚼慢咽).
  • He was chewing gum (嚼口香糖).
  • She was munching on an apple (嚼苹果).
  • This meat is tough to chew (这块肉嚼不动).

Collocations

  • Chew carefully(细嚼)
  • Chew slowly(慢嚼)
  • Chew gum(嚼口香糖)
  • Bite and chew(咬嚼)
  • Overchew(嚼烂)
  • Chew the cud(反刍嚼)

Idioms

  • Chew the cud and taste the flavor(咀嚼滋味)
  • Chew words and bite characters(嚼字咬文)
  • Chew wax(味同嚼蜡)
  • Chew on old writings(嚼故纸)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character appears in idioms related to careful consideration of words, reflecting the importance of precision in classical Chinese scholarship.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, thorough chewing is emphasized for proper digestion and health.
  • The metaphorical use for pondering over texts shows the connection between physical and intellectual digestion in Chinese thought.

FAQ