() - To gnaw, to bite, to chew.

Tone 2

zé | 20 strokes | radical:

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To gnaw, to bite, to chew.

To gnaw, to bite, to chew.

Usage highlights

gnaw throughbite offchew thoroughlygnaw at bonesbite and tear

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • to spit out

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The rodent gnawed (齚) through the wooden beam.
  • He bit (齚) into the hard crust of bread.
  • The ancient text described a beast that could chew (齚) stone.

Collocations

  • gnaw through(齚穿)
  • bite off(齚断)
  • chew thoroughly(齚碎)
  • gnaw at bones(齚骨)
  • bite and tear(齚裂)

Idioms

  • Gnaw at roots and chew bark (齚根齚皮) — to live in extreme poverty
  • Bite through iron and chew stone (齚铁齚石) — to possess extraordinary determination or strength

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character is archaic and rarely used in modern Chinese.
  • It appears primarily in classical texts and specialized contexts describing animal behavior or extreme hardship.
  • The character structure reflects its meaning, incorporating the 'tooth' radical (齒).

FAQ