栉
comb; to comb
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
comb (tool for grooming hair)
archaicA classical term for a comb, typically made of wood or bamboo. Often appears in the compound 栉比 (zhì bǐ), describing things arranged in a dense, orderly fashion like the teeth of a comb.
She took out an ancient wooden comb and gently brushed her beautiful hair.
The houses here are packed as closely as scales and comb teeth, forming a unique urban landscape.
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The ancients used combs to bind their hair, emphasizing propriety and ritual.
verb
to comb (hair)
archaicA literary verb now primarily used in formal writing or set phrases, most notably the idiom 栉风沐雨 (zhì fēng mù yǔ), meaning to work hard outdoors regardless of weather.
He would rise at dawn, comb his hair, adjust his cap before the mirror, and then begin the day's work.
Father toiled for decades, braving wind and rain in the fields, and finally brought in a bountiful harvest.
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Scholars of ancient times emphasized the ritual of grooming, combing their hair and straightening their clothes daily.