Meanings of 颳
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About 颳
Podcast: 颳
Podcast: 颳
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AI Study Notes for 颳
刮 (guā) — use 颳 when emphasizing the sensation of wind cutting through, while 刮 is more commonly used for scraping or shaving surfaces.
When using 颳, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words. This character is more common in informal contexts, especially when describing weather conditions. It often collocates with words related to wind or weather, such as 颳风 (guā fēng, to blow wind) and 颳雨 (guā yǔ, to rain).
Although 颳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other words related to weather and natural phenomena. Students should focus on recognizing the character in context and understanding its implications in descriptive language.
Learners often mistakenly use 颳 in contexts where 刮 would be more appropriate, such as when referring to shaving facial hair (should use 刮 instead). For example, saying '我颳胡子' (wǒ guā húzi) instead of '我刮胡子' (wǒ guā húzi) is incorrect.
Pronunciation of 颳
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Etymology of 颳
Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 舌 represents the sound. Simplified form of 颳.
The biting tongue 舌 of the wind 風
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 颳
Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 舌 represents the sound. Simplified form of 颳.
- 1The giveawayThe biting tongue 舌 of the wind 風
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 颳? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 颳
Identify the Components
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How to say to shave; to scrape; to blow in Chinese
“to shave; to scrape; to blow” in Chinese is颳
The character 颳 (guā) means to shave or scrape, often in the context of wind blowing or cutting through something. It is commonly used to describe the action of the wind, as in 'the wind is blowing' or to refer to the act of scraping something clean. This word captures both the physical action and the sensation of something being removed or altered by force.
When to use 颳
When using 颳, be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words. This character is more common in informal contexts, especially when describing weather conditions. It often collocates with words related to wind or weather, such as 颳风 (guā fēng, to blow wind) and 颳雨 (guā yǔ, to rain).
颳 or something close to it
刮 (guā) — use 颳 when emphasizing the sensation of wind cutting through, while 刮 is more commonly used for scraping or shaving surfaces.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 颳 in contexts where 刮 would be more appropriate, such as when referring to shaving facial hair (should use 刮 instead). For example, saying '我颳胡子' (wǒ guā húzi) instead of '我刮胡子' (wǒ guā húzi) is incorrect.
Write 颳
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Word Family of 颳
Compound Meaning
What does 刮 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 颳
While both characters can mean to scrape, 刮 is more commonly used for actions like scraping a surface, such as with a knife or razor, whereas 颳 specifically refers to the action of wind blowing.
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