枯黄 (kū huáng) — withered and yellow (of leaves, plants, etc.)

Definition

Used for leaves, grass, and plants that have dried out and turned yellow — describes the visible state itself, not the act of dying. Functions as a verb/stative adjective.

verb
withered and yellow (of leaves, plants, etc.)

Examples

  • ，枯黄。
    Qiū tiān dào le, shù yè dōu biàn de kū huáng le.
    Autumn has arrived, and the leaves have all turned withered and yellow.
  • 枯黄。
    Zhè xiē kū huáng de cǎo xū yào xiū jiǎn yí xià.
    These withered and yellow grasses need to be trimmed a bit.
  • ，枯黄。
    Nà kē shù yīn wèi quē shuǐ, yè zi yǐ jīng kū huáng le.
    That tree, because of lack of water, its leaves have already turned withered and yellow.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

枯kūwithered
黄huángyellow

枯 means withered and 黄 means yellow, describing plants that have dried and turned yellow.

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.

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.

Open 枯 →

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 黃; 黄 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
炗
炗guāng黃huáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 黃 pairs 田 (field) with 炗 (light), which gives the sound; the simplified 黄 is a shorthand and its parts are not historical components.

Open 黄 →

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