瘦削 (shòu xuē) — gaunt, very thin (often implying illness or exhaustion)

Definition

Describes a body that looks very thin, often from illness, exhaustion, or over-dieting — more extreme and negative than 瘦 ('thin'). Implies an unhealthy appearance.

adjective
gauntvery thin (often implying illness or exhaustion)

Examples

  • ，瘦削。
    Tā bìng le yì chǎng zhī hòu, zhěng gè rén biàn de shòu xuē le xǔ duō.
    After being ill, he became very gaunt.
  • 瘦削。
    Nà ge lǎo rén shòu xuē de shēn yǐng zài huáng hūn zhōng xiǎn de gé wài gū dān.
    The old man's gaunt figure looked especially lonely in the dusk.
  • ，瘦削，。
    Tā yīn wèi jié shí guò dù, xiàn zài kàn qǐ lái tài shòu xuē le, bú tài jiàn kāng.
    She looks too gaunt now because of excessive dieting and not very healthy.

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.

瘦shòuthin
削xiāoscraped

瘦 gives thinness, and 削 adds a scraped, gaunt look.

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
疒疒nè
Sound part声符shēngfú
叟
叟sǒu瘦shòu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

瘦 is built from 疒 and 叟: 疒 gives the meaning, and 叟 gives the sound.

Open 瘦 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
肖
肖xiào削xiāo
Same sound today

削 pairs 肖, which gives the sound, with 刀 (written as 刂), a knife, to show cutting or paring.

Open 削 →

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