澁 (sè) - Rough & harsh

澁Tone 4

sè ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

三姗

澁 · sè

Rough;

harsh;

astringent;

not smooth;

archaic variant form of 涩 (sè).

Roughharshastringent

Usage highlights

Astringent tasteRough and gratingHarsh to the tongueStagnant flowDifficult movementUnpolished writing

Synonyms

  • 涩— astringent; rough; unsmooth
  • 滞— stagnant; sluggish
  • 糙— coarse; rough

Antonyms

  • 滑— smooth; slippery
  • 润— moist; smooth

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The unripe persimmon has an astringent taste (澁味).
  • His calligraphy brushwork was intentionally rough (筆勢澁滞).
  • The old door made a grating sound when opened (開門聲澁).

Collocations

  • Astringent taste(澁味)
  • Rough and grating(粗澁)
  • Harsh to the tongue(口澁)
  • Stagnant flow(澁滞)
  • Difficult movement(行路澁)
  • Unpolished writing(文筆澁)

Idioms

  • Life's journey is full of hardships(人生路澁)
  • Astringent as an unripe plum(澁如生梅)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character is an archaic variant of 涩 (sè), primarily found in classical texts and calligraphy.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, it describes one of the fundamental tastes, associated with drying and consolidating properties.
  • Often used in artistic contexts to describe intentionally rough or unpolished aesthetic qualities.

FAQ