穷困 (qióng kùn) — poverty-stricken, destitute

Definition

adjective

poverty-strickendestitute

穷困，。
Nà ge dì qū fēi cháng qióng kùn, hěn duō rén méi yǒu gōng zuò.
That region is very poverty-stricken; many people don't have jobs.
穷困，。
Tā chū shēn qióng kùn, dàn kào nǔ lì gǎi biàn le mìng yùn.
He came from a poverty-stricken background but changed his destiny through hard work.
穷困。
qióng kùn De shēng huó bìng méi yǒu ràng tā shī qù xī wàng.
A poverty-stricken life did not make him lose hope.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

困kùndestitute

穷 and 困 both convey lack and hardship, together meaning poverty-stricken.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 窮; 穷 is its simplified writing.

穴躬窮

Meaning part形符xíngfú

穴穴xuécave; nest; confinement

Sound part声符shēngfú

躬

躬gōng窮qióng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 窮, 穴 (cave; nest; confinement) gives the sense and 躬 gives the sound; this is about 窮, not the simplified 穷.

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

囗木困

困 is drawn as 木 (wood) enclosed by 囗 (surround). The evidence says this was probably the original form of a word meaning 'doorsill'.

Appears in