弃儿 (qì ér) — abandoned child, foundling; (figurative) someth…

Definition

Literally 'abandoned child / foundling'; also used figuratively for a project, cause, or group that has been neglected or forsaken.

noun

abandoned childfoundling(figurative) something neglected or forsaken

Measure word · 个

弃儿。
Zhè ge qì ér bèi yí duì hǎo xīn de fū fù shōu yǎng le.
This abandoned child was adopted by a kind-hearted couple.
弃儿。
Nà ge xiàng mù chéng le gōng sī fā zhǎn de qì ér.
That project became a neglected child of the company's development.
弃儿，。
Zhàn zhēng liú xià le xǔ duō qì ér, lìng rén xīn tòng.
The war left behind many abandoned children, which is heartbreaking.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

弃qìabandon

弃 (abandon) and 儿 (child) combine to mean a child left behind.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 棄; 弃 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 棄, not the simplified 弃, shows 子 (child), 𠀠 (basket), and 廾 (two hands), as a picture of throwing out a child in a basket.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.