困 (kùn) — sleepy, tired; hard up, destitute; to trap, to surround
Definition
困 (kùn) has two distinct sides: as an adjective it means 'sleepy, drowsy' (everyday use, weaker than 疲倦/疲劳); as a verb it means 'to trap, surround' (like 套 in the sense of catching). The 'hard up' sense is rare in modern use — 穷 or 窘迫 are clearer.
sleepytiredhard updestituteto trapto surround
Examples
- 困，。Wǒ jīn tiān wǎn shàng tè bié kùn, xiǎng zǎo diǎn shuì jiào.I'm especially sleepy tonight and want to go to bed early.
- 困。Dà xuě kùn zhù le hěn duō huí jiā de lù.Heavy snow trapped many roads home.
- ，。Tā zuì jìn jīng jì hěn kùn nan, xū yào bāng zhù.He's been financially strapped recently and needs help.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
- 囗囗wéisurround
- 木木mùwood
困 is drawn as 木 (wood) enclosed by 囗 (surround). The evidence says this was probably the original form of a word meaning 'doorsill'.
Appears in
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