啃

• Pinyin: kěn
• Hanzi breakdown: 啃 = 口 (mouth) + 肯 (willing/consent)

Meaning

To gnaw; to nibble; to bite into something hard. The action of biting and chewing on something.

Describes eating by biting off pieces, especially of hard foods like bones, corn cobs, or tough bread. Can also be used metaphorically for tackling difficult problems (啃硬骨头) or living off parents (啃老).

Examples

1. 小狗在院子里啃骨头。 The puppy is gnawing on a bone in the yard.
2. 他边走边啃玉米棒子。 He was nibbling on a corn cob while walking.
3. 这本书太难了，我啃了半天也没读懂。 This book is so difficult — I've been gnawing at it for ages and still don't understand it.

Usage Guide

Context: eating, metaphor for difficulty, behavior

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 他在啃苹果。(He's gnawing on an apple.)
• 这个项目是块硬骨头，不好啃。(This project is a tough nut to crack.)

Don't Say

• 我啃了一碗米饭。(Don't use 啃 for soft foods eaten with chopsticks — use 吃; 啃 implies gnawing)

Origin & History

Onomatopoeic character imitating the sound of gnawing. The 口 (mouth) radical indicates it involves the mouth.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal