索然 (suǒ rán) — dull, insipid, uninteresting

Definition

Literary word meaning 'dull, flat, without flavor' — used almost only in the set phrase 索然无味. Pair it with 味 (interest/flavor) rather than using it alone.

verb
dullinsipiduninteresting

Examples

  • 索然，。
    Zhè běn shū nèi róng suǒ rán wú wèi, wǒ kàn le jǐ yè jiù fàng xià le.
    The content of this book is dull and tasteless; I put it down after a few pages.
  • 索然，。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng suǒ rán wú wèi, tīng zhòng dōu shuì zháo le.
    His speech was dull and insipid; the audience fell asleep.
  • 索然，。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng qíng jié suǒ rán, ràng rén tí bù qǐ xìng qù.
    The plot of this movie is dull; it doesn't arouse interest.

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.

索suǒdull/empty
然ránappearing so

索 carries emptiness or dullness, and 然 adds a sense of appearing so, giving dull and uninteresting.

Characters in this word

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

  • 糸糸mìthread
  • 𣎳𣎳𣎳strip fibres off a hemp stalk

索 combines 糸 (thread) and 𣎳 (stripping fibres from a hemp stalk), showing threads or rope being pulled out from a fabric.

Open 索 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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