壆 (xué) - To crack & to split open

壆Tone 2

xué ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

壆 · xué

To crack;

to split open;

a term used in ancient texts referring to the cracking of tortoise shells for divination.

To crackto split opena term used in ancient texts referring to

Usage highlights

Tortoise shell crackingDivination by crackingCrack patternsShell crackingCrack interpretationHeat cracking

Synonyms

  • 卜— to divine; divination
  • 灼— to burn; to scorch (in divination context)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The diviner observed the cracks in the tortoise shell (壆龟).
  • Ancient rituals involved heating shells until they cracked (壆卜).
  • The term appears in classical texts describing divination practices (壆文).

Collocations

  • Tortoise shell cracking(壆龟)
  • Divination by cracking(壆卜)
  • Crack patterns(壆文)
  • Shell cracking(壆甲)
  • Crack interpretation(壆兆)
  • Heat cracking(壆灼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Associated with ancient Chinese oracle bone divination practices where tortoise shells were heated to produce cracks for interpretation.
  • The character appears in classical texts related to Shang dynasty divination rituals.
  • Represents one of the earliest forms of Chinese writing and cultural practices.

FAQ