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March 24, 2026
櫛zhì(zhi4)
The character 櫛 (zhì) refers primarily to a 'comb,' a tool used to untangle hair. It can also mean 'to comb out' or 'to eliminate' in a broader context, often implying a meticulous process of sorting or weeding out unwanted elements.
Strokes17Radical木Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, grooming and personal appearance have significant social implications, and the comb is often associated with grace and elegance in practices like hair styling.
Memory Tip
Imagine a comb (櫛) with sharp teeth resembling a set of parallel lines that 'cut through' tangles. The pronunciation 'zhì' sounds like 'zh' in 'zhigzag,' which you can visualize as the comb zipping through hair.
Meanings of 櫛
zhì(zhi4)
1comb; to comb out, to eliminate, to weed out
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 櫛
櫛Simplified
17Strokes
木Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 櫛
Podcast: 櫛
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AI Study Notes for 櫛
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a comb (櫛) with sharp teeth resembling a set of parallel lines that 'cut through' tangles. The pronunciation 'zhì' sounds like 'zh' in 'zhigzag,' which you can visualize as the comb zipping through hair.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone, as using the wrong tone can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words. This character is more formal and might not be used in everyday casual conversation. Common collocation includes 櫛毛 (zhì máo) meaning 'to comb hair.'
HSK Study Tips
While 櫛 is not part of HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 3 words related to daily grooming and personal care items. Students should focus on pronunciation and recognizing it in compound words.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, grooming and personal appearance have significant social implications, and the comb is often associated with grace and elegance in practices like hair styling.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 櫛 with similar characters like 梳 (shū), which also means 'comb' but is more commonly used in everyday language. Remember, 櫛 is more formal and less frequently encountered.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 櫛
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Cultural Notes for 櫛
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, grooming and personal appearance have significant social implications, and the comb is often associated with grace and elegance in practices like hair styling.
Word Family of 櫛
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
Compound Meaning
What does 鳞次栉比 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 櫛
You can say '我用櫛梳理头发' (Wǒ yòng zhì shū lǐ tóufǎ) meaning 'I use a comb to style my hair.'
Yes, while it has traditional meanings, 櫛 is still used in modern contexts related to grooming and personal care.
Yes, besides 'comb,' it can also imply the act of eliminating or sorting through things.
