娇弱 (jiāo ruò) — (of a person) delicate and weak, frail; (of an object or plant) tender and fragile

Definition

Describes something (person, plant, animal) that is physically delicate and weak, often with a sense of needing care. Stresses fragility more than plain 弱, which is just 'weak'.

adjective
(of a person) delicate and weakfrail(of an object or plant) tender and fragile

Examples

  • 娇弱，。
    Yào bú shì tā yì zhí zhè me jiāo ruò, wǒ men zǎo jiù chū fā le.
    If she weren't always so delicate and weak, we would have set off long ago.
  • 娇弱。
    Zhè xiē jiāo ruò de huā xū yào tè bié xiǎo xīn dì zhào gù.
    These delicate flowers need to be taken care of with special care.
  • 娇弱，。
    Nà zhī xiǎo māo tài jiāo ruò le, wǒ men dé gěi tā duō wèi diǎn dōng xī.
    That kitten is too weak and delicate; we need to feed it more.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

娇jiāodelicate; tender
弱ruòweak

娇 (delicate) and 弱 (weak) together describe frail tenderness.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 嬌; 娇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
喬
喬qiáo嬌jiāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 嬌 has 女 (woman) beside 喬, which gave the sound; the simplified 娇 is a shorthand.

Open 娇 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 弓弓gōngbow
  • 彡彡shānhair, meaning "decoration" in this case

弱 pairs 弓 (bow) with 彡 (hair), showing a decorative bow that is functionally inferior, or a shaking, worn-out bow.

Open 弱 →

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