髐 (xiāo) - Bleached white bones & skeleton

髐Tone 1

xiāo ｜ 21 strokes ｜ radical:

想信

髐 · xiāo

Bleached white bones;

skeleton;

specifically refers to bones that have been exposed and whitened by the elements.

Bleached white bonesskeletonspecifically refers to bones that have been exposed

Usage highlights

bleached boneswhite skeletonskeletal remainsbleached whiteexposed bonesancient skeleton

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The battlefield was littered with bleached bones (髐髐白骨).
  • Archaeologists uncovered ancient skeletons (髐骨) at the site.
  • The desert sun had whitened the animal remains to a skeletal state (髐然).

Collocations

  • bleached bones(髐骨)
  • white skeleton(髐髐)
  • skeletal remains(髐骸)
  • bleached white(髐然)
  • exposed bones(髐露)
  • ancient skeleton(古髐)

Idioms

  • Bleached bones whitened by dew(露髐白骨)
  • Skeletons scattered across the plain(平原髐骨)
  • Ancient bones exposed to wind and frost(风霜髐骨)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Appears primarily in classical Chinese literature describing battlefields, ancient tombs, or desolate places.
  • Carries strong connotations of death, decay, and the passage of time.
  • Often used in poetic contexts to evoke imagery of mortality and transience.

FAQ