软弱 (ruǎn ruò) — weak (in character or body); feeble | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

软弱 emphasizes weakness of will or character — someone easily pushed around, not just physically frail. Unlike 衰弱 (declining strength from illness/age) or 虚弱 (temporary physical weakness), it carries a moral/critical edge.

adjective

weak (in character or body)feeble

Examples

软弱，。
Tā tài ruǎn ruò le, zǒng shì bèi rén qī fu.
He is too weak (in character) and always gets bullied by others.
，软弱。
Shēng bìng yǐ hòu, tā de shēn tǐ biàn de hěn ruǎn ruò.
After getting sick, her body became very weak.
软弱。
Tā zài huì yì shàng tí chū le yí gè ruǎn ruò de fǎn bó.
He made a weak rebuttal at the meeting.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

软 (soft) + 弱 (weak): lacking strength or firmness.

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 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

耎

耎ruǎn軟ruǎn

Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

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

弓弓gōngbow
彡彡shānhair, meaning "decoration" in this case

弱 pairs 弓 (bow) with 彡 (hair), showing a decorative bow that is functionally inferior, or a shaking, worn-out bow.

Appears in

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