龇 (zī) - to bare one's teeth & to show one's teeth in a grimace or

龇Tone 1

zī ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

志

龇 · zī

to bare one's teeth;

to show one's teeth in a grimace or snarl.

to bare one's teethto show one's teeth in a grimace or

Usage highlights

bare teethgrimaceshow teethsnarl angrily

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 抿— to close lips lightly

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The dog bared its teeth (龇牙).
  • He grimaced in pain (疼得龇牙咧嘴).
  • The angry tiger snarled (老虎龇着牙).

Collocations

  • bare teeth(龇牙)
  • grimace(龇牙咧嘴)
  • show teeth(龇出牙)
  • snarl angrily(愤怒地龇牙)

Idioms

  • Grinning hideously(龇牙咧嘴)
  • Baring fangs and brandishing claws(龇牙咧嘴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often depicts aggressive or pained facial expressions in Chinese literature and art.
  • Commonly used to describe animals showing aggression or humans in extreme discomfort.
  • The character contains the 'tooth' radical (齿), directly relating to its meaning.

FAQ