消受 (xiāo shòu) — to enjoy (often in a negative or ironic context); to bear, to endure

Definition

消受 (xiāoshòu) is a literary verb meaning 'to enjoy' — typically negated as 消受不起 or 无福消受 to mean 'can't bear / don't deserve to enjoy'. Almost always used in negative or ironic contexts in classical-influenced writing.

verb
to enjoy (often in a negative or ironic context)to bearto endure
Easily confused

Examples

  • 消受。
    Zhè zhǒng fú qi wǒ shí zài wú fú xiāo shòu.
    This kind of blessing I really am not lucky enough to enjoy.
  • 消受。
    Tā yí gè rén xiāo shòu bù liǎo zhè me duō tòng kǔ.
    He alone cannot bear so much pain.
  • ，消受。
    Zhè yàng de měi shí, wǒ kǒng pà xiāo shòu bù qǐ.
    Such delicious food, I'm afraid I cannot afford to enjoy it.

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.

消xiāouse/enjoy
受shòureceive/bear

消 (use/enjoy) and 受 (receive/bear) combine to mean enjoy or bear, often in a negative context.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
肖
肖xiào消xiāo
Same sound today

消 has 氵 (water) beside 肖. The water part connects to putting out or making something vanish, and 肖 gives the sound.

Open 消 →

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

受 possibly combines 爪 and 又 as hands with 舟 as a boat, to show handing something over.

Open 受 →

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