寡 (guǎ) — (bound form) few; scarce; scant; (bound form) tasteless; insipid (of food or flavor); (bound form) widowed

Definition

寡 is a bound form — it never stands alone. The most common compounds are 寡言 (taciturn) and 寡妇 (widow). As a stand-in for 'few/scant', it has a literary tone.

bound form
fewscarcescanttastelessinsipid (of food or flavor)widowed
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā zhè ge rén yí xiàng guǎ yán, bú ài shuō huà.
    He has always been taciturn and doesn't like to talk.
  • 寡，。
    Zhè dào cài wèi dào guǎ dàn, méi shén me yì si.
    This dish tastes bland and is nothing special.
  • 。
    Cūn lǐ nà hù rén jiā zhǐ yǒu yí wèi guǎ fù hé yí gè hái zi.
    In that village, that family only has a widow and a child.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 頁頁yèhead

The form 寡 pairs 宀, a house, with 頁, a head: one head in a house, alone.

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