衰亡 (shuāi wáng) — to decline and fall; to wither away

Definition

A formal, written verb for the complete decline and fall of something (a dynasty, civilization, institution). It stresses irreversible end, stronger than 衰落, which covers gradual weakening without necessarily dying out.

verb
to decline and fallto wither away

Examples

  • 衰亡。
    Zhè ge gǔ lǎo de wén míng zuì zhōng shuāi wáng le.
    This ancient civilization eventually declined and fell.
  • 衰亡。
    Yí gè wáng cháo de shuāi wáng wǎng wǎng bàn suí zhe shè huì dòng dàng.
    The decline and fall of a dynasty is often accompanied by social unrest.
  • ，衰亡。
    Rú guǒ qǐ yè bú chuàng xīn, chí zǎo huì shuāi wáng.
    If a company does not innovate, it will wither away sooner or later.

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.

衰shuāidecline
亡wángfall

衰 and 亡 both describe decline and collapse, together mean to wither away.

Characters in this word

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

The old form of 衰 pictures a palm-fiber raincoat, a garment later written with another character.

Open 衰 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The shape originally marked a knife's cutting edge with a line.

Open 亡 →

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