璺 (wèn) - Crack & fissure

璺Tone 4

wèn ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

璺 · wèn

Crack;

fissure;

especially a crack in pottery or jade;

by extension, a flaw or rift.

Crackfissureespecially a crack in pottery or jade

Usage highlights

Jade crackCeramic crackCrack patternTo crackCrack lineRepair a crack

Synonyms

  • 裂— crack; split
  • 纹— vein; line; pattern
  • 隙— gap; crevice

Antonyms

  • 整— whole; intact
  • 完— complete; perfect

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The porcelain bowl has a crack (碗上有璺).
  • A crack in the jade (玉璺) reduces its value.
  • Relationships can develop rifts (感情出现裂璺).

Collocations

  • Jade crack(玉璺)
  • Ceramic crack(陶瓷璺)
  • Crack pattern(璺纹)
  • To crack(起璺)
  • Crack line(璺线)
  • Repair a crack(补璺)

Idioms

  • Down to the smallest crack(条分缕析, down to the smallest detail)
  • A flaw in the jade(白璧微瑕, a minor flaw in something beautiful)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred specifically to cracks in jade or ceramics, highly important in antique appraisal.
  • In Chinese culture, cracks in jade were seen as flaws that diminished value, but sometimes added character.
  • The character is complex and rarely used in modern everyday language, appearing more in specialized contexts.

FAQ