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栉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
栉zhìcomb; to comb out, to eliminate, to weed outHSK 7, g, 9 strokes, radical 木, Very Hard
栉zhìto combHSK 7, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 木, Very Hard
栉zhìTaiwan pr. [jie2]HSK 7, unknown, 9 strokes, radical 木, Very Hard
zhì(zhi4)zhi T4
  1. 1comb; to comb out, to eliminate, to weed out
  2. 2to comb
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March 24, 2026

栉(櫛)zhì(zhi4)

The character 栉 (zhì) primarily means 'comb' and is used in contexts related to grooming hair. It can also convey the idea of 'weeding out' or 'eliminating,' often in a metaphorical sense, such as filtering out unnecessary elements. It is a less frequently used character and is more common in written Chinese than in spoken language.

Strokes9Radical木DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, grooming is often associated with personal presentation and respect, making the comb a significant item. It also appears in poetic expressions about beauty and care.

Memory tip

Imagine a comb with teeth that resemble the branches of a tree (the radical 木, meaning 'wood'). Picture combing through the branches to remove unwanted leaves, which connects to the meaning of eliminating or weeding out. The sound 'zhì' can be remembered as the sound you make when you comb your hair, a soft 'zh' sound.

Meanings of 栉

zhì(zhi4)
1comb; to comb out, to eliminate, to weed out
2to comb
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 栉

栉Simplified
櫛Traditional
9Strokes
木Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 栉

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AI study notes for 栉

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 栉 with similar-sounding characters or mispronounce it with the wrong tone. It is generally used in more formal or literary contexts, so be cautious about using it in everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to grooming or selection processes.

HSK Study Tips

While 栉 is not officially included in HSK levels, it's useful for learners at a higher intermediate level who are expanding their vocabulary. Focus on understanding its usage in context and how it relates to other words about grooming or selection, such as 剪 (jiǎn - to cut) and 选择 (xuǎnzé - to choose).

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly pronounce 栉 with the second tone, resulting in incorrect usage. The correct pronunciation is with the fourth tone (zhì), not 'jie.' Additionally, using it in casual conversation can sound overly formal.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 栉

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Etymology of 栉

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

A wooden 木 comb 节; 节 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 栉?

Decomposition of 栉

IDS Structure⿰木节
栉Full character
=
木Mu4
left
节jie1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 栉?

How to say comb; to comb out, to eliminate, to weed out in Chinese

“comb; to comb out, to eliminate, to weed out” in Chinese is栉zhì

The character 栉 (zhì) primarily means 'comb' and is used in contexts related to grooming hair. It can also convey the idea of 'weeding out' or 'eliminating,' often in a metaphorical sense, such as filtering out unnecessary elements. It is a less frequently used character and is more common in written Chinese than in spoken language.

When to use 栉

Learners often confuse 栉 with similar-sounding characters or mispronounce it with the wrong tone. It is generally used in more formal or literary contexts, so be cautious about using it in everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to grooming or selection processes.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly pronounce 栉 with the second tone, resulting in incorrect usage. The correct pronunciation is with the fourth tone (zhì), not 'jie.' Additionally, using it in casual conversation can sound overly formal.

Write 栉

栉

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

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Word Family of 栉

Words containing this character5
鳞次栉比row upon row鱗次櫛比
栉zhìcomb櫛
栉风沐雨fig. to work in the open regardless of the weather櫛風沐雨
栉比lined up close (like teeth of a comb)櫛比
沐雨栉风to work unceasingly regardless of the weather (idiom)沐雨櫛風
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 栉

What does 鳞次栉比 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 栉

Besides 'comb,' 栉 can mean 'to weed out' or 'to eliminate,' which might be used in contexts like selecting the best candidates.

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