Definition
朽木 literally means 'rotten wood', but it is commonly used as a metaphor for a hopeless case or a good-for-nothing person. The expression originates from the Confucian phrase 朽木不可雕也 (rotten wood cannot be carved), implying someone is beyond teaching or improvement. It can be used both literally (for decayed wood) and figuratively (for a person).
n.
rotten wood (literal)hopeless casea good-for-nothing (figurative)
Examples
- 朽木。Zhè kuài xiǔ mù yǐjīng bù néng yòng le.This piece of rotten wood is no longer usable.
- ，朽木。Tā zuò shénme dōu bù xíng, zhēn shì xiǔ mù.He can't do anything right; he's really a hopeless case.
- 朽木，。Lǎoshī juéde zhège xuéshēng shì xiǔ mù, hěn nán jiāo.The teacher thinks this student is a good-for-nothing and hard to teach.
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