wrinkles, creases, folds

JLPT N5 10 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character (zhòu) primarily refers to wrinkles or creases, commonly seen on skin or fabric. It can describe physical folds, such as wrinkles on a person's face or creases on clothing.

Common Contexts

  • When talking about aging or facial expressions, often appears in words like 皱纹 (wrinkles on skin).
  • It is also used to describe the state of clothes or paper when they are not smooth.
  • Additionally, can describe the action of frowning, where the eyebrows draw together creating lines or folds.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 皱纹 (wrinkles on skin): used in contexts about aging or expressions.
  • (frown): describes the facial expression of knitting one's brows, often indicating worry or displeasure.
  • (wrinkled, crumpled): a colloquial way to describe something very wrinkled, often clothes or paper.

Usage Notes

is a versatile character that can be both a verb and a noun. When used as a verb, it means 'to wrinkle' or 'to crease.' As a noun, it refers to the wrinkle itself. It is important not to confuse with similar characters like (zhé), which means 'to fold' or 'to break.' specifically emphasizes the irregular, often small folds or lines rather than a clean fold or break.

Tone and Register

is neutral in tone and commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, especially when describing appearance or clothing condition.

Example Sentences

He has many wrinkles on his forehead.

This piece of clothing started to wrinkle after several washes.

He frowned, looking very worried.