罄 (qìng) — (bound form) used up, exhausted, empty

Definition

罄 (qìng) is a formal bound form meaning 'used up / exhausted,' almost always seen in set phrases like 告罄 (run out) and the idiom 罄竹难书 (crimes too many to record). Don't use it for everyday 'empty' — say 空 or 完了 instead.

bound form
used upexhaustedempty
Easily confused

Examples

  • 罄，。
    Kù cún yǐ jīng gào qìng, xū yào jǐn kuài bǔ huò.
    The inventory has been exhausted; we need to restock as soon as possible.
  • 。
    Tā de zuì xíng qìng zhú nán shū.
    His crimes are too numerous to record.
  • 罄，。
    Liáng shi gào qìng, bǎi xìng shēng huó shí fēn kùn nan.
    Grain supplies ran out, and the people's lives became very difficult.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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fǒupottery
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng罄qìng
Same sound today

罄 pairs 缶, a pottery-related part, with 殸, which gives the sound qìng.

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