死灰 (sǐ huī) — dying embers, burnt-out cinders; (figurative) a state of extreme discouragement, hopelessness, or loneliness

Definition

Literally 'dead ash' — dying embers used as a metaphor for total hopelessness or lifelessness (心成死灰 'one's heart turned to dead ash'). Almost always appears in figurative contexts, not literal ones.

noun
dying embersburnt-out cinders(figurative) a state of extreme discouragement, hopelessness, or loneliness

Examples

  • 死灰，。
    Tā de xīn qíng xiàng sǐ huī yí yàng, duì shēng huó shī qù le rè qíng.
    His mood was like dying embers, having lost passion for life.
  • ，死灰。
    Kàn dào zì jǐ de nǔ lì méi yǒu jié guǒ, tā de xīn chéng le yí piàn sǐ huī.
    Seeing his efforts without results, his heart became a pile of dying embers.
  • ，死灰，。
    Jīng lì le nà cì dǎ jī hòu, tā zhěng gè rén dōu rú tóng sǐ huī, háo wú shēng qì.
    After experiencing that blow, he was like dying embers, completely lifeless.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

死sǐdead
灰huīash

死 (dead) specifies the kind of 灰 (ash), giving burnt-out cinders.

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
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī死sǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Open 死 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

灰 shows 火 (fire) that can be touched by 又 (hand), meaning ash.

Open 灰 →

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