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消逝 (xiāo shì) — (verb) to vanish, to fade away (of time, sound, light, memories, etc.); (noun) the passing or lapse (of time)

Definition

Literary word meaning 'to vanish / fade away' (time, sound, memories) — more formal and poetic than everyday verbs like 消失, and typically used in writing about things quietly passing.

verb
to vanishto fade away (of time, sound, light, memories, etc.)
noun
the passing or lapse (of time)

Examples

  • 消逝。
    Tā de bèi yǐng zài rén qún zhōng màn màn xiāo shì le.
    His figure slowly faded away in the crowd.
  • 消逝，。
    Suí zhe suì yuè de xiāo shì, zhè xiē jì yì biàn de mó hu le.
    With the passage of time, these memories have become blurred.
  • 消逝。
    Nà zhèn xiào shēng hěn kuài jiù xiāo shì zài yè kōng zhōng le.
    That burst of laughter quickly vanished into the night sky.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

消xiāovanish
逝shìpass away

消 and 逝 both describe fading or passing away, so together they mean vanish.

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 →

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
辵辵chuòwalking
Sound part声符shēngfú
折
折zhé逝shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

逝 combines 辵, a walking part, with 折, which gives the sound.

Open 逝 →
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