齥 (xiè) - To gnaw, to nibble, to bite & refers to the action of rodents or small

齥Tone 4

xiè ｜ 21 strokes ｜ radical:

想信

齥 · xiè

To gnaw, to nibble, to bite;

refers to the action of rodents or small animals chewing on something.

To gnaw, to nibble, to biterefers to the action of rodents or small

Usage highlights

Gnaw on woodNibble foodBite throughRodent gnawingChew marksGnawing sound

Synonyms

  • 啃— to gnaw, to nibble
  • 咬— to bite
  • 噬— to bite, to gnaw (more literary)

Antonyms

  • 吐— to spit out
  • 咽— to swallow

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mouse gnawed on the wood (老鼠齥木头).
  • Rabbits nibble on carrots (兔子齥胡萝卜).
  • Squirrels bite through nutshells (松鼠齥开坚果壳).

Collocations

  • Gnaw on wood(齥木)
  • Nibble food(齥食)
  • Bite through(齥穿)
  • Rodent gnawing(鼠齥)
  • Chew marks(齥痕)
  • Gnawing sound(齥声)

Idioms

  • Like a rat gnawing at a book(鼠齥蠹简)
  • Gnawing away tirelessly(齥而不舍)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character is primarily used in classical and literary contexts rather than modern vernacular.
  • Often appears in descriptions of animal behavior, particularly rodents and small creatures.
  • The character structure reflects its meaning with the tooth radical (齒) combined with the phonetic component 世.

FAQ