杇 (wū) - A trowel & a plasterer's float
杇 · wū
A trowel;
a plasterer's float;
to plaster or daub with mud or lime;
to smear, to coat.
A trowela plasterer's floatto plaster or daub with mud or lime
Usage highlights
trowelplastererplastering workto plaster a wallmason's floatto smear with mud
Usage & contexts
Examples
- The mason used a trowel (杇) to apply plaster.
- This wall needs to be plastered (杇).
- He is skilled in the craft of plastering (杇工).
Collocations
- trowel(杇)
- plasterer(杇者)
- plastering work(杇工)
- to plaster a wall(杇墙)
- mason's float(杇刀)
- to smear with mud(杇泥)
Idioms
- A rotten wood cannot be carved(朽木不可杇也)
- To labor in vain(粪土之墙不可杇也)
Cultural background
FAQ- Appears in classical texts like the Analects of Confucius as a metaphor for something unworthy of effort.
- Historically associated with the humble but essential trade of masonry and wall-building.