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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) T3
  1. 1gritty
  2. 2gritty (of food)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

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

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 碜

  1. 1The meaning half石 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half参 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystone
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 碜? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 碜?

Decomposition of 碜

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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 3

Compound Meaning

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.

Jason Recommends

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Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.