搔 (sāo) - To scratch & to scrape

搔Tone 1

sāo ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

三姗

搔 · sāo

To scratch;

to scrape;

to annoy or irritate;

to fiddle with or fumble.

To scratchto scrapeto annoy or irritate

Usage highlights

Scratching an itchScratching the headScratching the ears and cheeksScraping a potFiddling with hairScratching and scraping

Synonyms

  • 抓— to grab, to scratch
  • 挠— to scratch
  • 刮— to scrape

Antonyms

  • 抚— to stroke, to caress
  • 摩— to rub gently

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Scratching an itch (搔痒).
  • Scratching the head in puzzlement (搔首).
  • Scraping a pot while cooking (搔锅).
  • Fiddling with one's hair (搔弄头发).

Collocations

  • Scratching an itch(搔痒)
  • Scratching the head(搔首)
  • Scratching the ears and cheeks(搔耳抓腮)
  • Scraping a pot(搔锅)
  • Fiddling with hair(搔弄头发)
  • Scratching and scraping(搔刮)

Idioms

  • Scratching the head in perplexity(搔首踟蹰)
  • Scratching the head and rubbing the ears(搔头摸耳)
  • Scratching where it itches(搔到痒处)
  • To scratch the head and think hard(搔首苦思)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character appears in classical texts describing gestures of thought, anxiety, or physical irritation.
  • In traditional medicine, 'scratching' (搔) was cautioned against for certain skin conditions to prevent worsening.
  • The action is often used metaphorically in literature to depict restlessness or deep contemplation.

FAQ