濇 (sè) - astringent & rough

濇Tone 4

sè ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

三姗

濇 · sè

astringent;

rough;

harsh (of taste or texture);

obstructed;

impeded;

in traditional Chinese medicine, refers to a type of pulse or a constricting quality.

astringentroughharsh (of taste or texture)

Usage highlights

astringent tasterough and astringentunsmooth; obstructeddry and puckeringastringent in traditional Chinese medicinerough movement

Synonyms

  • 涩— astringent; rough (the more common simplified form)
  • 滞— stagnant; sluggish
  • 拙— clumsy; awkward

Antonyms

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

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The unripe persimmon has an astringent taste (涩味).
  • The medicine causes a dry, puckering sensation in the mouth (口感发涩).
  • His writing style is sometimes rough and unpolished (文笔有些生涩).
  • There was an awkward pause in the conversation (谈话出现了滞涩).

Collocations

  • astringent taste(涩味)
  • rough and astringent(苦涩)
  • unsmooth; obstructed(滞涩)
  • dry and puckering(干涩)
  • astringent in traditional Chinese medicine(收涩)
  • rough movement(涩滞)

Idioms

  • Bitter and astringent(苦涩)
  • Clumsy and awkward(晦涩生硬)
  • Astringent and obstructing pulse(涩脉)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, 'se' (涩) describes a constricting, consolidating, or obstructing quality, often associated with certain herbs and pulse diagnoses.
  • The character is often used metaphorically to describe awkward social interactions, unpolished artistic expression, or difficult, obstructed situations.
  • It carries a generally negative connotation when describing taste, texture, or flow, implying a lack of smoothness or pleasantness.

FAQ