齘 (xiè) - To grind one's teeth & the sound of teeth grinding

齘Tone 4

xiè ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

想信

齘 · xiè

To grind one's teeth;

the sound of teeth grinding;

a gap between teeth;

in ancient medicine, a symptom of grinding teeth during illness.

To grind one's teeththe sound of teeth grindinga gap between teeth

Usage highlights

Grinding teethSound of grindingTeeth grinding diseaseInvoluntary teeth grindingNighttime grinding

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The patient ground his teeth in his sleep (齘齿).
  • He heard the sound of teeth grinding (齘声).
  • Ancient texts describe teeth grinding as a symptom (病齘).

Collocations

  • Grinding teeth(齘齿)
  • Sound of grinding(齘声)
  • Teeth grinding disease(齘病)
  • Involuntary teeth grinding(自齘)
  • Nighttime grinding(夜齘)

Idioms

  • To gnash one's teeth in anger(切齿齘牙)
  • Grinding teeth with hatred(咬牙切齿)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, teeth grinding (齘) was considered a symptom of internal heat or parasitic infestation.
  • The character appears in classical medical texts like the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon.
  • The character's composition reflects its meaning, with the tooth radical (齒) combined with a component suggesting intersection or grinding.

FAQ