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荡然无存 (dàng rán wú cún) — completely gone; nothing left; all destroyed or lost

Definition

Idiom meaning something has vanished completely, leaving no trace — often used for things destroyed or lost (a fire, a savings, a civilization). Stronger and more literary than plain 'nothing left'.

idiom
completely gonenothing leftall destroyed or lost

Examples

  • 荡然无存。
    Yì chǎng dà huǒ bǎ zhěng zuò gǔ miào shāo dé dàng rán wú cún.
    A big fire burned the entire ancient temple to nothing.
  • 荡然无存。
    Tā de jī xù yīn wèi tóu zī shī bài ér dàng rán wú cún.
    His savings were completely gone because of a failed investment.
  • ，荡然无存。
    Zhàn zhēng guò hòu, zhè zuò chéng shì de wén míng jī hū dàng rán wú cún.
    After the war, the civilization of this city was almost entirely destroyed.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蕩; 荡 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 荡 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 蕩; in others it is 盪.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
湯
湯tāng蕩dàng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

About the traditional form 蕩: it is made of 艹 (grass, written fully as 艸) and 湯, which gives the sound. The simplified 荡 is only a later shorthand.

Open 荡 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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
子子zǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
才
才cái存cún
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

存 pairs 子 with 才, which was used for the sound.

Open 存 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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