罅 (xià) - crack & fissure

罅Tone 4

xià ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

万响

罅 · xià

crack;

fissure;

crevice;

gap;

rift;

chink;

a narrow opening or break in something solid.

crackfissurecrevice

Usage highlights

crack or fissurefissure in rockgap or chinkloophole or flawmountain creviceto fill a gap or remedy a defect

Synonyms

  • 隙— crack; gap; interval
  • 裂— split; crack; fissure
  • 缝— seam; crack; crevice

Antonyms

  • 整— whole; intact; complete
  • 全— entire; complete

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • There was a crack in the ancient vase (古瓶上的罅隙).
  • Sunlight streamed through a chink in the wall (墙上的罅缝).
  • A rift appeared in their friendship (友谊的罅隙).
  • He peered through a crevice in the rocks (岩石的罅隙).

Collocations

  • crack or fissure(罅隙)
  • fissure in rock(石罅)
  • gap or chink(罅缝)
  • loophole or flaw(罅漏)
  • mountain crevice(山罅)
  • to fill a gap or remedy a defect(补罅)

Idioms

  • To plug gaps and remedy defects(补苴罅漏)
  • Cracks and crevices(罅隙裂缝)
  • A flaw or weak point(破绽罅隙)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used metaphorically in literature to describe subtle flaws, vulnerabilities, or the beginning of a breakdown in relationships or systems.
  • In traditional Chinese philosophy and art, the concept of the 'crack' or 'gap' (罅) can relate to the Daoist idea of the potential found in emptiness or imperfection.
  • The character appears more frequently in classical and literary Chinese than in everyday modern usage.

FAQ