鍤 (chā) - Spade — an ancient digging tool similar to & also refers to a type of surgical instrument

鍤Tone 1

chā ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

鍤 · chā

Spade — an ancient digging tool similar to a shovel;

also refers to a type of surgical instrument used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Spade — an ancient digging tool similar toalso refers to a type of surgical instrument

Usage highlights

Bronze spadeWooden spadeIron spadeCarry a spadeHold a spadeSpade and plough

Synonyms

  • 铲— shovel, spade (more common modern term)
  • 锹— spade, shovel (modern equivalent)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Farmers used spades (鍤) for digging irrigation channels.
  • The archaeologist found an ancient bronze spade (青铜鍤).
  • In traditional medicine, a spade-shaped instrument (鍤) was used for certain procedures.
  • They carried the spade (扛着鍤) to the field for planting.

Collocations

  • Bronze spade(青铜鍤)
  • Wooden spade(木鍤)
  • Iron spade(铁鍤)
  • Carry a spade(扛鍤)
  • Hold a spade(持鍤)
  • Spade and plough(鍤犁)

Idioms

  • Carrying spades and baskets(负鍤提篮)
  • Spade and basket work(鍤篮之工)
  • Shoulder the spade to build dikes(荷鍤筑堤)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the earliest agricultural tools in ancient China, dating back to the Neolithic period.
  • Used in various dynasties for farming, construction, and water conservancy projects.
  • Mentioned in classical texts as an essential tool for agricultural production.

FAQ