蟄 (zhé) - To hibernate & to live in seclusion

蟄Tone 2

zhé ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

蟄 · zhé

To hibernate;

to live in seclusion;

to conceal oneself;

refers to animals hiding away for winter or people living in seclusion.

To hibernateto live in seclusionto conceal oneself

Usage highlights

HibernationLive in seclusionWaking of insects solar termHibernating insectHibernating animalDormant period

Synonyms

  • 伏— to lie low; to conceal
  • 藏— to hide; to conceal
  • 隐— to hide; to live in seclusion

Antonyms

  • 醒— to wake up
  • 出— to emerge; to come out
  • 显— to appear; to manifest

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Bears hibernate in winter (冬眠蛰伏).
  • The snake remains dormant underground (蛰居地下).
  • He lived in seclusion for many years (蛰居多年).
  • Insects awaken from hibernation in spring (惊蛰时节).

Collocations

  • Hibernation(蛰伏)
  • Live in seclusion(蛰居)
  • Waking of insects solar term(惊蛰)
  • Hibernating insect(蛰虫)
  • Hibernating animal(蛰兽)
  • Dormant period(蛰期)

Idioms

  • Like a hidden dragon waiting for the right moment(潜龙蛰伏)
  • Waking of insects marks the beginning of spring(惊蛰春雷)
  • The dragon hibernates in the abyss(龙蛰深渊)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 惊蛰 (Jīngzhé) is the 3rd of 24 solar terms in the Chinese calendar, when hibernating insects awaken by spring thunder.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, '蛰' symbolizes strategic withdrawal and preparation for future action.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing both animal hibernation and scholarly reclusion.

FAQ