zè

迮

Character · Adjective · NounTraditional仄

narrow; slanting; oblique tone; surname

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

4 senses · 7 examples
1.

adjective

narrow; cramped

literary

Used in literary or written contexts, often appearing in compound words describing spatial narrowness.

Zhè这
jiān间
wū屋
zi子
shí十
fēn分
bī逼
zè仄
 。

This room is extremely cramped.

Shān山
lù路
zè仄
xiá狭
 ，
nán难
yǐ以
tōng通
xíng行
 。

The mountain path is narrow and difficult to traverse.

2.

adjective

slanting; oblique; tilted

literary

Refers to something not level or upright; commonly used in prosody to describe oblique tones (contrasting with level tones).

Rì日
zè仄
ér而
rù入
 ，
mù暮
ān安
ér而
xī息
 。

The sun slants and sets, and in the evening we rest peacefully.

Zhè这
shǒu首
shī诗
jiǎng讲
jiū究
píng平
zè仄
duì对
zhàng仗
 。

This poem pays attention to the contrast between level and oblique tones.

3.

noun

oblique tone (in classical Chinese prosody)

technical

In traditional Chinese phonology, tones are divided into level (平) and oblique (仄). The oblique category includes rising (上声), falling (去声), and entering (入声) tones.

Gé格
lǜ律
shī诗
zhōng中
 ，
píng平
zè仄
yào要
xiāng相
jiàn间
shǐ使
yòng用
 。

In regulated verse, level and oblique tones should be used alternately.

Zhè这
jù句
de的
zè仄
shēng声
zì字
yòng用
de得
qiǎo巧
miào妙
 。

The use of oblique-tone characters in this line is ingenious.

4.

noun

surname Ze

name

A rare Chinese surname.

Zè仄
xiān先
sheng生
shì是
yī一
wèi位
zhù著
míng名
de的
shū书
fǎ法
jiā家
 。

Mr. Ze is a renowned calligrapher.