残羹剩饭 (cán gēng shèng fàn) — leftovers, leftover food from a meal | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'leftover soup and rice', now used figuratively for the crumbs, scraps, or remainders left over after others have taken the best — ideas, benefits, or resources rather than just food.

idiom

leftoversleftover food from a meal

Examples

残羹剩饭。
Tā bǎ cán gēng shèng fàn dào jìn le lā jī tǒng.
He dumped the leftovers into the trash can.
，残羹剩饭。
Wǎn cān hòu, mā ma bǎ cán gēng shèng fàn fàng jìn le bīng xiāng.
After dinner, Mom put the leftovers into the fridge.
残羹剩饭。
Zhè xiē cán gēng shèng fàn hái kě yǐ rè yi rè zài chī.
These leftovers can be reheated and eaten.

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.

残羹leftover soup

残cánleftover羹gēngsoup

偏正Modifier + head

剩饭leftover rice

剩shèngleftover饭fànrice

偏正Modifier + head

残羹 and 剩饭 both mean leftover soup and leftover rice, together referring to food left after a meal.

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.

歹戔殘

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.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

乘

乘chéng剩shèng

Same sound today

剩 is made of 刀 (knife) as the meaning part and 乘 (chéng) as the sound part.

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 飯; 饭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

食食shífood

Sound part声符shēngfú

反

反fǎn飯fàn

Same sound today

The traditional form 飯 combines 食 (food) with 反 for the sound; the simplified 饭 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical form.

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