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殆尽 (dài jǐn) — to be nearly exhausted, to be almost used up

Definition

殆尽 (dài jìn) is a literary verb meaning 'nearly used up / almost exhausted' — used in written Chinese for resources, patience, or strength that have dwindled to almost nothing. It is more formal than everyday expressions like 用完 or 消耗完.

verb
to be nearly exhaustedto be almost used up

Examples

  • 殆尽。
    Liáng shi jī hū xiāo hào dài jǐn.
    Food supplies were nearly exhausted.
  • 殆尽。
    Tā de nài xīn yǐ jīng dài jǐn.
    His patience has been nearly used up.
  • 殆尽，。
    Kù cún yǐ dài jǐn, xū yào bǔ huò.
    Inventory is nearly depleted, need to restock.

Origin

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.

殆dàinearly
尽jìnexhausted

殆 means nearly and 尽 means exhausted, so the word describes something being almost used up.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 盡; 尽 is its simplified writing.

  • 聿聿yùhand holding a brush
  • 灬灬huǒbristles
  • 皿皿mǐndish

The traditional form 盡 shows 聿 (hand holding a brush) and 灬 (bristles) over 皿 (dish), cleaning a dish until it is empty. The simplified 尽 is a shorthand, not those historical parts.

Open 尽 →
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