chela

chela — noun

1. one of the two pincer-shaped grasping claws on the front legs of animals such as

1.名詞B2
釋義

one of the two pincer-shaped grasping claws on the front legs of animals such as crabs, lobsters, and scorpions, used for holding, crushing, or cutting food and for defense

例句

Wei watched the crab raise its large right chela as a warning.

possessive + size adjective + left/right chela

When Vivek picked up the lobster, it snapped at him with both chelae.

irregular Latin plural: chelae

同義詞
  • claw

    everyday general term for any animal's curved nail or pincer; less scientific than chela

  • pincer

    emphasises the grasping action; common in cooking contexts (crab pincers)

  • nipper

    informal term for a small claw, especially of a crab or lobster

用法筆記

The plural form is chelae (Latin pattern), not 'chelas'. This term is used mainly in biology and zoology; in everyday language 'claw' or 'pincer' is more common.

常見錯誤

❌The crab has two sharp chelas.
✅The crab has two sharp chelae.
💡chela follows Latin pluralization (chelae, not chelas).
❌The scorpion's chela is on its tail.
✅The scorpion's chela is on its front leg.
💡a chela is a front-limb claw, not the stinger.