About
The character "嚼", which means to chew, is a phono-semantic compound that integrates the mouth radical (口) to denote its association with oral activity and the component "爵" primarily for its phonetic value, reflecting an earlier auditory resemblance. Etymologically, this structure firmly anchors the character's sense to the physical act of mastication, while the phonetic element hints at its historical sound. Over centuries, the character's form has maintained a consistent composition, and its core meaning has remained focused on the grinding of food with the teeth, though it has occasionally acquired extended metaphorical uses, such as implying the mental process of ruminating on thoughts or words. The traditional rendering of the character is structurally unchanged in its modern usage, preserving its original components without alteration.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
吃饭时要细嚼慢咽。
这肉太硬了，我嚼不动。
他在无聊地嚼着口香糖。
咀嚼食物有助于消化。
骆驼可以长时间咀嚼干草。
别总在背后嚼别人的舌根。
他仔细咀嚼着这句话的含义。
这些谣言被人反复嚼来嚼去，早已失真。