chisel

JLPT N5

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character (záo) primarily means "to chisel" or "to carve out" using a chisel tool. It can also refer to the chisel itself. This verb is often used in contexts involving craftsmanship, archaeology, or metaphorically extracting information or evidence.

Common Collocations

  • (záozi): chisel tool, the instrument used for carving.
  • (záokāi): to chisel open, often used for opening doors, walls, or other solid objects.
  • (záochū): to chisel out, used both literally and figuratively for extracting or uncovering something.

Usage Notes

is a formal or literary term and is less common in everyday spoken Chinese. It often appears in written descriptions of craftsmanship or archaeological work. When used metaphorically, it implies careful and deliberate extraction of information or evidence, similar to chiseling out a physical object.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse with (zuān), which means "to drill" or "to bore through". implies carving or chiseling with a tool, while involves rotating or drilling motions.

Example Sentences

The craftsman chisels exquisite patterns on the wood with a chisel.

Archaeologists chiseled open the stone door in the ancient tomb.

This sentence is the evidence he chiselled out from the book.