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贫穷 (pín qióng) — poor, impoverished

Definition

Formal/written adjective meaning 'impoverished,' used in serious or official contexts about regions, nations, or populations. 穷 is the everyday spoken word for individuals or households; 贫困 is the most formal, often paired with 地区 / 人口.

adjective
poorimpoverished

Examples

  • 贫穷。
    Zhè ge pín qióng de guó jiā zhèng zài nǔ lì fā zhǎn jīng jì.
    This poor country is working hard to develop its economy.
  • 贫穷，。
    Tā chū shēng zài yí gè pín qióng de jiā tíng, dàn tōng guò jiào yù gǎi biàn le mìng yùn.
    He was born into a poor family but changed his fate through education.
  • 贫穷，。
    Suī rán shēng huó pín qióng, tā men yī rán bǎo chí zhe lè guān de tài dù.
    Although life is poor, they still maintain an optimistic attitude.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

贫pínpoor
穷qióngpoor

贫 and 穷 both mean poor, so 贫穷 simply intensifies the sense of poverty.

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 貧; 贫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèimoney
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn貧pín
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貧 has 分 above 貝, a money part. 分 gives the sound and means 'divide', giving the image of dividing one's money; the simplified 贫 is a later shorthand.

Open 贫 →

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 窮; 穷 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave; nest; confinement
Sound part声符shēngfú
躬
躬gōng窮qióng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 窮, 穴 (cave; nest; confinement) gives the sense and 躬 gives the sound; this is about 窮, not the simplified 穷.

Open 穷 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Society & Public Life

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