Chinese–EnglishWith examples

啃

kěn · ken

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to gnaw
  2. to nibble
  3. to bite
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In a conversation

0:17 cartoon

Gnawing the corn

  1. Dengdeng

    你(nǐ)看(kàn)，那(nà)只(zhī)小狗(xiǎogǒu)在(zài)啃(kěn)骨头(gǔtou)。

    Look, that puppy is gnawing a bone.

  2. Liangliang

    它(tā)啃(kěn)得(de)好(hǎo)开心(kāixīn)。

    It gnaws so happily.

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)也(yě)想(xiǎng)啃(kěn)，我的(wǒde)玉米(yùmǐ)还(hái)没(méi)吃(chī)。

    I want to gnaw too. I have not eaten my corn yet.

  4. Liangliang

    啃(kěn)玉米(yùmǐ)要(yào)小心(xiǎoxīn)牙(yá)。

    Be careful of your teeth when gnawing corn.

  5. Dengdeng

    没事(méishì)，我的(wǒde)牙(yá)比(bǐ)小狗(xiǎogǒu)的(de)好(hǎo)。

    No problem, my teeth are better than the puppy's.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

小(xiǎo)狗(gǒu)正(zhèng)坐(zuò)在(zài)门(mén)口(kǒu)啃(kěn)一(yì)根(gēn)骨(gǔ)头(tou)。

The puppy is sitting at the door gnawing on a bone.

02

他(tā)饿(è)了(le)，拿(ná)起(qǐ)一(yí)个(gè)苹(píng)果(guǒ)就(jiù)啃(kěn)了(le)起(qǐ)来(lái)。

He was hungry, so he picked up an apple and started biting into it.

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Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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