败落 (bài luò) — (of a family, business, or social position) to decline, to fall into ruin

Definition

Used for the decline of a family, business, or social position — emphasizes a fall from a former prosperous or high state. Pairs with 不堪 to picture severe decay (败落不堪).

verb
(of a family, business, or social position) to declineto fall into ruin

Examples

  • 败落。
    Zhè ge jiā zú zài qīng mò zhú jiàn bài luò le.
    This family gradually declined in the late Qing dynasty.
  • 败落，。
    Tā de shēng yì bài luò yǐ hòu, quán jiā bān dào le xiāng xia.
    After his business declined, the whole family moved to the countryside.
  • 败落。
    Céng jīng huī huáng de zhái yuàn rú jīn yǐ jīng bài luò bù kān.
    The once glorious mansion is now in a state of extreme decay.

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.

败bàidecay
落luòfall

败 decay and 落 fall together mean decline in wealth or position.

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 敗; 败 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūstrike
Sound part声符shēngfú
貝
貝bèi敗bài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 敗 has 貝 as the sound component and 攴 (written 攵) meaning strike. The simplified 败 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the original components.

Open 败 →

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cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →

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