灰 (huī) — (noun) ash; dust; lime (powdery substance); (adjective) gray (color); (adjective) discouraged, dejected (used in compounds like 灰心)
Definition
As a noun, 灰 is a loose powdery residue (ash, dust) — broader than the fine particles of 粉末 or the dirt of 土. As an adjective, the color sense is everyday gray; the figurative 'discouraged' sense appears mainly in 灰心.
noun
ashdustlime (powdery substance)
adjective
gray (color)discourageddejected (used in compounds like 灰心)
Examples
- 灰。Bì lú lǐ de huī xū yào qīng lǐ le.The ash in the fireplace needs to be cleaned.
- 。Jīn tiān de tiān kōng shì huī sè de.Today's sky is gray.
- ，。Shī bài le hěn duō cì, dàn tā méi yǒu huī xīn.He failed many times, but he didn't lose heart.
Appears in
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