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渣子 (zhā zǐ) — (colloquial) dregs, lees, scraps; leftover waste or residue

Definition

Colloquial word for 'dregs, scraps, residue' — solids left behind after a liquid is poured off or a process is done. As a slang insult (for a person), it means 'loser, scumbag.'

noun
(colloquial) dregsleesscrapsleftover waste or residue
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 渣子。
    Tā bǎ jiǔ lǐ de zhā zǐ dào diào le.
    He poured out the dregs from the wine.
  • 渣子。
    Zhè xiē cài zhā zǐ kě yǐ wèi jī.
    These food scraps can be fed to chickens.
  • 渣子。
    Gōng chǎng shēng chǎn guò chéng zhōng huì chǎn shēng hěn duō zhā zǐ.
    The factory's production process produces a lot of waste scraps.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

渣zhāresidue
子zǐ

渣 refers to leftover residue, and 子 gives the colloquial feel of bits and scraps.

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
查
查chá渣zhā(r)
Same sound today

渣 combines 氵 (water) with 查, which gives the sound.

Open 渣 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Materials & Substances

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