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碜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
碜chěngrittyx, 13 strokes, radical 石
碜chěngritty (of food)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 石
碜chěnunsightlyunknown, 13 strokes, radical 石
chěn(chen3)chen T3
  1. 1gritty
  2. 2gritty (of food)
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March 24, 2026

碜(磣)chěn(chen3)

The character 碜 (chěn) describes a texture that is gritty or coarse, often used to refer to food that has an undesirable texture. It can also describe something that is unsightly or unattractive in appearance, emphasizing the negative connotation associated with roughness or lack of refinement.

Strokes13Radical石
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, texture plays a significant role in the overall experience of a dish. A gritty texture in food is often considered a flaw, particularly in fine dining, highlighting the importance of presentation and mouthfeel in culinary culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'churning' riverbed filled with gritty stones that make the water unsightly and hard to drink. The 'ch' sound in 'churning' can help you remember the pronunciation of 碜 (chěn).

Meanings of 碜

chěn(chen3)
1gritty
2gritty (of food)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 碜

碜Simplified
磣Traditional
13Strokes
石Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 碜

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Podcast: 碜

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AI study notes for 碜

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 碜 with similar sounding characters that have different meanings. It is usually used in informal contexts to describe textures in food. Be careful with the tone; a mispronunciation can lead to confusion with words that have entirely different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

While 碜 is not part of HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of descriptive language related to food and texture. Focus on recognizing its components and how they relate to other words describing sensory experiences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 碜 with 碎 (suì), which means 'broken' or 'crumbled.' For example, saying '这道菜很碜' (This dish is very gritty) might be misinterpreted; ensure clarity by describing the specific texture intended.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 碜

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Etymology of 碜

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

stone

Semantic (meaning)石
+
Phonetic (sound)参
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

碜 = 石 + 参. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 碜

IDS Structure⿰石参
碜Full character
=
石dan4
left
参can1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 碜?

How to say gritty in Chinese

“gritty” in Chinese is碜chěn

The character 碜 (chěn) describes a texture that is gritty or coarse, often used to refer to food that has an undesirable texture. It can also describe something that is unsightly or unattractive in appearance, emphasizing the negative connotation associated with roughness or lack of refinement.

When to use 碜

Learners often confuse 碜 with similar sounding characters that have different meanings. It is usually used in informal contexts to describe textures in food. Be careful with the tone; a mispronunciation can lead to confusion with words that have entirely different meanings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 碜 with 碎 (suì), which means 'broken' or 'crumbled.' For example, saying '这道菜很碜' (This dish is very gritty) might be misinterpreted; ensure clarity by describing the specific texture intended.

Write 碜

碜

Practice writing 碜 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 碜

Words containing this character3
寒碜ugly寒磣
碜chěnunsightly磣
牙碜gritty (of foodstuffs)牙磣
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 碜

What does 寒碜 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 碜

No, 碜 is relatively rare and is more likely encountered in specific contexts related to food or descriptions.

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