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啃

kěn
HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 7 Verb Uncommon

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Definitions

  1. 1. to gnaw
  2. 2. to nibble
  3. 3. to bite

Character focus

Stroke order

11 strokes

Word relationships

Related words

2 items
咬
yǎo

to bite

啃 emphasizes gnawing on something hard, like a bone, while 咬 means general biting
嚼
jiáo

to chew

啃 focuses on biting off or gnawing, while 嚼 means chewing

Usage notes

Collocations

Common collocations: 啃骨头 (gnaw on bones), 啃老 (derogatory term for adults who depend on their parents).

Common mistakes

Do not use 啃 for gentle nibbling like a snack; it implies gnawing on hard objects (e.g., bones).

Example Sentences

1 shown
小狗在 啃 一根骨头。
The puppy is gnawing on a bone.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 啃

啃书
kěn shū

lit. to gnaw a book

啃老
kěn lǎo

(coll.) to live with and depend on one's parents even upon reaching adulthood

啃老族
kěn lǎo zú

(coll.) adults still living with and depending on their parents

嘴啃泥
zuǐ kěn ní

to fall flat on one's face