蛻 (tuì) - To molt & to shed skin, feathers, or shell

蛻Tone 4

tuì ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

蛻 · tuì

To molt;

to shed skin, feathers, or shell;

to exuviate;

to transform or cast off (old habits, ideas).

To moltto shed skin, feathers, or shellto exuviate

Usage highlights

MoltingCicada exuviaeMetamorphosisShedding transformationMolted shellSlough off

Synonyms

  • 脱— to take off; to shed
  • 换— to change; to replace
  • 变— to change; to transform

Antonyms

  • 固— solid; fixed; unchanging
  • 守— to guard; to maintain

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The snake molts its skin (蛇蜕皮).
  • The cicada sheds its exuviae (蝉蜕).
  • He is transforming his old self (他在蜕变).
  • The butterfly emerges from its chrysalis (蜕变成蝶).

Collocations

  • Molting(蜕皮)
  • Cicada exuviae(蝉蜕)
  • Metamorphosis(蜕变)
  • Shedding transformation(蜕化)
  • Molted shell(蜕壳)
  • Slough off(蜕除)

Idioms

  • Metamorphosis and renewal(蜕变新生)
  • Slough off the mortal coil(蜕化变质)
  • Cicada sloughs its golden shell(金蝉脱壳)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese tradition, molting symbolizes rebirth, transformation, and leaving the old behind.
  • The cicada's molting is a common metaphor in poetry for transcendence and immortality.
  • Used in both biological contexts (animals) and abstract ones (personal growth, change).

FAQ