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残缺 (cán quē) — (verb) to be damaged, to be incomplete (of objects or body parts)

Definition

残缺 describes a concrete object or body part that is physically damaged or incomplete — it has lost a part or is broken. Unlike 缺少 (to lack something abstract or missing entirely), 残缺 focuses on the damaged, partially-gone state.

verb
to be damagedto be incomplete (of objects or body parts)

Examples

  • 残缺。
    Tā de shōu cáng pǐn zhōng yǒu yí jiàn cán quē de gǔ dǒng.
    Among his collection, there is a damaged antique.
  • 残缺。
    Zhè běn gǔ jí de zuì hòu yí yè cán quē le.
    The last page of this ancient book is damaged.
  • 残缺。
    Tā de shǒu zhǐ yīn shòu shāng ér cán quē.
    His finger is disfigured due to injury.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

残cándamaged
缺quēlacking

残 means damaged and 缺 means lacking, together describing something incomplete.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 殘; 残 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
歹歹dǎivicious, bones
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān殘cán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 殘 pairs 歹, a bone shape for injury, with 戔 for its sound; the simplified 残 is a later shorthand.

Open 残 →

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
缶缶fǒuearthen pot
Sound part声符shēngfú
夬
夬guài缺quē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

缺 pairs 缶, an earthen pot, with 夬, which gives the sound.

Open 缺 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Injury & Disability

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