鸩 (zhèn) - Zhen — a legendary poisonous bird & poison

鸩Tone 4

zhèn ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

鸩 · zhèn

Zhen — a legendary poisonous bird;

poison;

to poison someone;

to indulge in excessive drinking.

Zhen — a legendary poisonous birdpoisonto poison someone

Usage highlights

Zhen poisonZhen birdto poison someoneto drink poison to quench thirstZhen wineZhen's feather

Synonyms

  • 毒— poison, toxin
  • 酖— alternative form for poisoned wine

Antonyms

  • 药— medicine, cure
  • 解— antidote, to relieve

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient text mentions a poisonous bird (鸩鸟).
  • He was poisoned with a lethal drink (饮鸩止渴).
  • The emperor eliminated his rival by poison (鸩杀).
  • This is a metaphor for a dangerous solution (鸩毒).

Collocations

  • Zhen poison(鸩毒)
  • Zhen bird(鸩鸟)
  • to poison someone(鸩杀)
  • to drink poison to quench thirst(饮鸩止渴)
  • Zhen wine(鸩酒)
  • Zhen's feather(鸩羽)

Idioms

  • Drinking poison to quench thirst(饮鸩止渴)
  • Zhen's poison in the cup(杯中之鸩)
  • Zhen's feather in the wine(酒中含鸩)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese mythology, the Zhen is a legendary bird whose feathers are poisonous enough to kill when dipped into wine.
  • The character appears in historical texts describing political assassinations via poisoned wine.
  • The idiom 'drinking poison to quench thirst' warns against using disastrous solutions to solve immediate problems.

FAQ