Meaning and Usage
The character 皱 (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, 皱 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, 皱 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.
- 皱眉 (frown): describes the facial expression of knitting one's brows, often indicating worry or displeasure.
- 皱巴巴 (wrinkled, crumpled): a colloquial way to describe something very wrinkled, often clothes or paper.
Usage Notes
皱 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 皱 with similar characters like 折 (zhé), which means 'to fold' or 'to break.' 皱 specifically emphasizes the irregular, often small folds or lines rather than a clean fold or break.
Tone and Register
皱 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.