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缺水 (quē shuǐ) — to run out of water; to be short of water; to be water-deficient

Definition

Means a place or area lacks sufficient water — used for drought, shortages, or arid regions. As a verb, it takes the place as subject (这个地区缺水); as an adjective, it describes a water-deficient condition.

to run out of waterto be short of waterto be water-deficient

Examples

  • 缺水。
    Zhè ge dì qū jīng cháng quē shuǐ.
    This region often suffers from water shortage.
  • 。
    Qù nián xià tiān zhè lǐ quē guò shuǐ.
    Last summer, this place experienced a water shortage.
  • 缺水，。
    Rú guǒ quē shuǐ, zhí wù jiù huì kū wěi.
    If there is a water shortage, the plants will wither.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

缺quēlack
水shuǐwater

The '缺' (lack) takes '水' (water) as what is lacking.

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
缶缶fǒuearthen pot
Sound part声符shēngfú
夬
夬guài缺quē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

缺 pairs 缶, an earthen pot, with 夬, which gives the sound.

Open 缺 →

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

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →
Appears in
Environment & EcologyMaterials & Substances

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