拾荒 (shí huāng) — to scavenge (for recyclable waste or scrap); to collect discarded items for reuse or sale

Definition

A vivid, formal verb meaning to scavenge waste or scrap for a living. Often used in writing or news to describe people who collect recyclables from the streets — not casual, everyday speech.

verb
to scavenge (for recyclable waste or scrap)to collect discarded items for reuse or sale

Examples

  • 拾荒。
    Tā měi tiān zài jiē shàng shí huāng.
    He scavenges on the streets every day.
  • 拾荒。
    shí huāng Shì yì zhǒng hěn xīn kǔ de gōng zuò.
    Scavenging is a very hard job.
  • ，。
    Tā shí le shí nián huāng, zhōng yú cún gòu le qián.
    He scavenged for ten years and finally saved enough money.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

拾shípick up
荒huāngwaste

拾 is picking up, and 荒 is waste, so the word means gathering discarded items.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé拾shí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拾 uses 扌 for hand and 合 for sound; the whole character means to pick up by hand.

Open 拾 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss, plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
巟
巟huāng荒huāng
Same sound today

荒 is built from 艹 (grass, plant) and 巟, with 巟 giving the sound huāng.

Open 荒 →

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