梳子

• Pinyin: shū zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 梳 = 木 + 疏 (wood + sparse — a comb); 子 = child/object suffix (nominaliser for tools and objects)

Meaning

A comb.

The everyday noun for a comb used for grooming hair. A simple, familiar object used in daily life. Sometimes appears in proverbs and idioms about orderly arrangements. Can also appear in literary writing as a symbolic object associated with femininity, care, and daily ritual.

Examples

1. 她翻遍了整个行李箱，却发现偏偏把最常用的梳子落在了家里的梳妆台上。 She searched through her entire suitcase, only to realize she’d left her most-used comb on the vanity at home.
2. 这把镶嵌着精致花纹的红木梳子是外祖母的遗物，尽管梳齿已有几根残缺，她仍舍不得丢弃。 This rosewood comb inlaid with delicate patterns was her grandmother’s keepsake; even though several teeth were broken, she still couldn’t bear to throw it away.
3. 理发师熟练地操起梳子，以几乎看不见的轻柔动作将顾客散乱的头发一一归位，每一个细节都透露出多年磨练出的专业素养。 The hairstylist deftly picked up the comb and, with movements so light they were almost invisible, put the client’s messy hair back into place strand by strand; every detail showed the professionalism honed over many years.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, grooming, household objects

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 梳子虽普通，却从材质变化中折射出时代审美。(A comb is ordinary, yet changes in its materials reflect the aesthetics of an era.)
• 古代女子出嫁前由母亲梳头，梳子成了无声的祝福。(In ancient times, a mother combing her daughter's hair before marriage made the comb a silent blessing.)

Don't Say

• 梳子 as a verb — use 梳 or 梳理 instead; 梳子 is purely a noun (the object), and attempting to use it as a verb would be grammatically incorrect in standard Chinese

Origin & History

梳 (to comb — 木 wood + 疏 sparse) + 子 (nominal suffix for objects)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal