碬 (xiá) - Whetstone — a fine-grained stone used for sharpening

碬Tone 2

xiá ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

碬 · xiá

Whetstone — a fine-grained stone used for sharpening or polishing tools and weapons.

Whetstone — a fine-grained stone used for sharpening

Usage highlights

WhetstoneSharpening stoneJade polishing stoneStone whetstoneFine whetstone

Synonyms

  • 砺— coarse whetstone, grindstone
  • 磨石— grinding stone

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The barber sharpens his razor on a whetstone (碬).
  • Ancient craftsmen used whetstones (碬) to polish jade artifacts.
  • This whetstone (碬) is perfect for sharpening kitchen knives.

Collocations

  • Whetstone(碬石)
  • Sharpening stone(磨碬)
  • Jade polishing stone(玉碬)
  • Stone whetstone(石碬)
  • Fine whetstone(细碬)

Idioms

  • As if sharpened on a whetstone(如碬如砺)
  • Whetstone and grindstone(碬砺)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Whetstones were essential tools in traditional Chinese craftsmanship for sharpening blades and polishing precious materials like jade.
  • In classical texts, whetstones symbolize refinement, preparation, and the process of perfecting one's skills or character.
  • The character appears in ancient texts like the Erya, one of China's earliest dictionaries and encyclopedias.

FAQ