凋零 (diāo líng) — (of plants) to wither and fall; (figurative) to decline; to be on the wane; to die out

Definition

Examples

• 秋风一吹，花瓣纷纷凋零。
  Qiū fēng yì chuī, huā bàn fēn fēn diāo líng.
  When the autumn wind blows, the petals wither and fall one after another.
• 这个古老的文明已经凋零了。
  Zhè ge gǔ lǎo de wén míng yǐ jīng diāo líng le.
  This ancient civilization has already declined.
• 年轻时那么风光，晚年却如此凋零，令人感慨。
  Nián qīng shí nà me fēng guāng, wǎn nián què rú cǐ diāo líng, lìng rén gǎn kǎi.
  He was so glamorous when young, yet in his later years he withered away like this—it's really moving.

Origin