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枯 (kū) — (of plants) withered; (of wells, water) dried up; (figurative) dull, uninteresting; emaciated

Definition

Adjective for plants or wells that have lost moisture — withered, dried up. The figurative sense ('dull, uninteresting') only appears in the common word 枯燥; alone 枯 is concrete and physical.

adjective
(of plants) withered(of wells, water) dried up(figurative) dulluninterestingemaciated

Examples

  • 枯。
    Huā yuán lǐ de huā dū kū le.
    The flowers in the garden have all withered.
  • 枯，。
    Zhè kǒu jǐng kū le, méi shuǐ le.
    This well has dried up — there's no water.
  • ，。
    Nà běn xiǎo shuō hěn kū zào, méi yì si.
    That novel is dull and boring.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ枯kū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

枯 pairs 木 (tree) with 古, which gives the sound.

Appears in
Plants & Flowers

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