Chinese Character: 嚼
1. Character Basics
Radical: 口/kǒu (mouth radical)
Stroke Count: 20
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jiáo (second tone), jué (second tone), and jiào (fourth tone) - This is a polyphonic character
3. Meaning
As jiáo: chew, masticate, gnaw
As jué: chew (more literary or formal), ponder, consider deeply
As jiào: (used in compounds like 倒嚼 dào jiào, meaning "ruminate" for animals)
4. Common Words
- 咀嚼 (jǔjué) - chew, masticate, ponder
- 细嚼慢咽 (xìjiáo màn yàn) - chew slowly and swallow carefully
- 嚼舌根 (jiáo shégēn) - gossip, talk behind someone's back
- 咬文嚼字 (yǎo wén jiáo zì) - pay excessive attention to wording, nitpick over words
- 倒嚼 (dào jiào) - ruminate (for animals like cows)
- 嚼蜡 (jiáo là) - tasteless, dull (like chewing wax)
5. Grammar & Usage
As jiáo (verb, to chew):
- 后面接名词：嚼食物 (chew food), 嚼口香糖 (chew gum)
- 可带补语：嚼得很细 (chew very finely), 嚼不动 (can't chew)
- 后接介词结构：嚼在嘴里 (chew in the mouth), 嚼着东西说话 (speak while chewing)
As jué (verb, to chew, ponder):
- 多用于书面语或固定搭配：咀嚼文字 (ponder over words), 细细咀嚼 (ponder deeply)
- 比喻义：咀嚼人生 (contemplate life), 咀嚼痛苦 (bear pain)
As jiào (verb, to ruminate):
- 主要用于描述动物的反刍行为：牛倒嚼 (cows ruminate), 羊在嚼草 (sheep are chewing grass)
6. Cultural Background
在中国文化中，"嚼"字有着丰富的文化内涵和生活智慧：
- 饮食文化：中国传统饮食文化强调"细嚼慢咽"，认为这有助于消化和健康
- 语言表达：有许多与"嚼"相关的成语和俗语，如"咬文嚼字"、"嚼舌根"等
- 文学意境：文学作品中常用"咀嚼"来比喻对事物的深入思考和品味
- 哲学思想：儒家强调"三思而后行"，类似于"咀嚼"思想的过程；道家则强调自然而为，不过度"咀嚼"
- 日常生活：民间有"吃饭要嚼三十下"等健康谚语，体现了对饮食方式的重视
- 中医理论：中医认为细嚼慢咽有助于脾胃消化，是养生的重要方法之一
7. Example Sentence
中文（jiáo）：吃饭时要细嚼慢咽，这样有助于消化。
Pinyin（jiáo）：Chīfàn shí yào xìjiáo màn yàn, zhèyàng yǒuzhù yú xiāohuà.
Translation（jiáo）：You should chew your food slowly while eating, as this aids digestion.
中文（jué）：这篇文章很有深度，值得细细咀嚼。
Pinyin（jué）：Zhè piān wénzhāng hěn yǒu shēndù, zhídé xìxì jǔjué.
Translation（jué）：This article is profound and worth pondering deeply.
8. Memory Tips
Character Structure Breakdown: 嚼 is composed of 口 (mouth radical) and 爵 (jué, ancient wine vessel). This structure suggests using the mouth (口) to eat or drink from a vessel (爵), representing the action of chewing.
Mnemonic Device: Imagine using your mouth (口) to take food from an ancient vessel (爵) and chew it thoroughly, representing the concept of chewing.
Visual Association: Connect the character to the action of chewing, as the combination of 口 and 爵 conveys the idea of using the mouth to process food.
Stroke Order Practice: Focus on the correct stroke order, starting with the three strokes of 口 on the left, then the complex strokes of 爵 on the right. Break it down into manageable parts to remember.
Polyphonic Memory: Remember that 嚼 has three pronunciations: jiáo for everyday chewing, jué for more formal or metaphorical usage, and jiào for animal rumination. Practice using all three in different contexts.
Related Words: Associate the character with common words like 咀嚼 (chew/ponder) and 细嚼慢咽 (chew slowly) to reinforce your memory of both its literal and metaphorical meanings.