歃 (shà) - To smear & to moisten with the lips

歃Tone 4

shà ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

三姗

歃 · shà

To smear;

to moisten with the lips;

specifically refers to the ancient ritual of smearing blood on the lips to seal a covenant or oath.

To smearto moisten with the lipsspecifically refers to the ancient ritual of smearing

Usage highlights

Smear bloodBlood oathSeal a covenant with bloodBloodCovenant of smearing blood

Synonyms

  • 盟— to swear an oath; alliance
  • 誓— to vow; to swear

Antonyms

  • 背— to betray; turn one's back on
  • 叛— to rebel; betray

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient ceremony involved smearing the blood of a sacrifice (歃血).
  • They sealed their alliance with a blood oath (歃盟).
  • The ritual required participants to moisten their lips with blood (歃血为盟).

Collocations

  • Smear blood(歃血)
  • Blood oath(歃盟)
  • Seal a covenant with blood(歃血为盟)
  • Blood-smearing ceremony(歃血之礼)
  • Covenant of smearing blood(歃血之约)

Idioms

  • To swear a blood oath(歃血为盟)
  • To pledge allegiance by smearing blood(歃血而盟)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Associated with ancient Chinese rituals for forming alliances or swearing oaths, where participants would smear animal blood on their lips.
  • The practice symbolized sincerity, binding commitment, and the gravity of the promise being made.
  • Often mentioned in historical texts describing pacts between states or sworn brotherhoods.

FAQ