齰 (zé) - To bite & to gnaw

齰Tone 2

zé ｜ 23 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

齰 · zé

To bite;

to gnaw;

to chew.

To biteto gnawto chew.

Usage highlights

Gnawing teethBiting the tongueChewing on somethingGnawing a boneBiting the lip

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The dog gnawed on the bone (齰骨).
  • He bit his lip in concentration (齰唇).
  • Rodents chewing through wires (齰电线).

Collocations

  • Gnawing teeth(齰齿)
  • Biting the tongue(齰舌)
  • Chewing on something(齰物)
  • Gnawing a bone(齰骨)
  • Biting the lip(齰唇)

Idioms

  • Biting words and chewing characters(齰舌嚼字)
  • Gnawing at the root and chewing the bark(齰根嚼皮)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character is primarily used in classical or literary contexts rather than modern vernacular.
  • It appears in some traditional medical or zoological descriptions of biting/chewing actions.
  • The character's complexity makes it rare in modern usage, primarily preserved in dictionaries and classical texts.

FAQ