About
The character "咀" is structured with the mouth radical 口 on the left and the component 且 on the right, which primarily provides phonetic indication. Its core meaning has consistently related to the action of the mouth, specifically to chew or to taste. In early usage, it carried the sense of savoring or consuming something held in the mouth. This led to its use in the compound "咀嚼", meaning to masticate or chew thoroughly. A separate and now largely obsolete meaning developed, where "咀" was used in the compound "咀咒" as an alternative form for "诅咒", meaning to curse or swear, though this application has faded from common use. The character's form has remained stable, and its modern function is almost entirely confined to denoting the physical or sometimes metaphorical act of chewing or mulling over.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他在咀嚼一块糖。
小狗喜欢咀嚼玩具。
咀嚼食物要细嚼慢咽。
她咀嚼着美味的牛排。
充分咀嚼有助于营养吸收。
咀嚼动作能锻炼面部肌肉。
科学家研究咀嚼与记忆的关系。
咀嚼频率可能影响胃部消化效率。