萎靡不振 (wěi mǐ bù zhèn) — dispirited and listless; downcast

Definition

A chengyu describing someone whose spirit and energy have collapsed — drooping, listless, and unable to pick themselves up. Used for a person's overall state, not a single moment.

verb
dispirited and listlessdowncast

Examples

  • ，萎靡不振。
    Tā zuì jìn gōng zuò yā lì tài dà, zhěng gè rén wěi mǐ bù zhèn.
    He's been under too much work pressure lately; he's been completely listless.
  • 萎靡不振，。
    Shī bài le bú yào wěi mǐ bù zhèn, wǒ men hái yǒu jī huì.
    Don't be downcast after failure; we still have a chance.
  • 萎靡不振。
    Tā wěi mǐ bù zhèn de yàng zi ràng rén hěn dān xīn.
    His dispirited look worries people a lot.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

萎靡listless
萎wěiwithered靡mífallen
联合Side by side
不振not vigorous
不bùnot振zhènrise
偏正Modifier + head

The meanings 萎靡 and 不振 both describe a weak, drooping condition, so together they mean dispirited and listless.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
委
委wěi萎wěi
Same sound today

萎 puts 艹, a plant radical, over 委, which gives the sound.

Open 萎 →

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
非非fēi
Sound part声符shēngfú
麻
麻má靡mí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

靡 combines 非, linked to scattering, with 麻 for sound.

Open 靡 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
辰
辰chén振zhèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

振 pairs 手 (hand) with 辰: 手 shows it is about a hand action, and 辰 gives the sound.

Open 振 →

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