啃 (kěn) — to gnaw or nibble (on something hard, like a bone or corn cob); to study or work hard at (a subject or book) — metaphorical extension of gnawing
Definition
啃 is to gnaw on something hard like a bone or corn — harder and slower than 咬 ('bite'), and focuses on working through the object rather than 嚼 ('chew').
verb
to gnaw or nibble (on something hard, like a bone or corn cob)to study or work hard at (a subject or book) — metaphorical extension of gnawing
Easily confused
Examples
- 啃。Zhè zhī gǒu zhèng zài kěn yí kuài yìng gǔ tou.This dog is gnawing on a hard bone.
- ，啃。Wèi le tōng guò kǎo shì, tā měi tiān zài kěn nà běn hòu shū.To pass the exam, he studies that thick book hard every day.
- 啃。Xiǎo hái zi dōu xǐ huan kěn jī tuǐ.Children all like to gnaw on chicken drumsticks.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
啃 pairs 口 (mouth), showing the action is done with the mouth, with 肯, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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