屑

xiè

尸 + 肖

HSK 2.0Level 6

Definitions

xiè (noun) bits; fragments; crumbs

xiè (adjective) trivial; trifling

xiè (verb) to condescend to

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 尸 represents the meaning and 肖 represents the sound.

Semantic: 尸 Phonetic: 肖

About

屑 is a phono-semantic compound: the upper-left radical 尸, which can depict a corpse, a seated body, or a structural roof/overhang, contributes the meaning, while the interior component 肖 serves as the phonetic. The character's original concrete meaning refers to small fragments, crumbs, or bits that fall away during cutting, grinding, or carving. This notion of leftover scraps later extended abstractly to signify something trifling, insignificant, or beneath notice, and it is commonly used in negative constructions to express disdain or the act of dismissing something as trivial.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

桌子上有一些纸屑。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yīxiē zhǐ xiè.

There are some paper scraps on the table.

他清理了地板上的食物屑。

Tā qīnglǐ le dìbǎn shàng de shíwù xiè.

He cleaned up the food crumbs on the floor.

风吹走了地上的落叶屑。

Fēng chuī zǒu le dì shàng de luòyè xiè.

The wind blew away the leaf fragments on the ground.

这些琐屑的事情不必担心。

Zhèxiē suǒxiè de shìqíng bùbì dānxīn.

These trivial matters need not be worried about.

他的态度显得很不屑。

Tā de tàidù xiǎndé hěn bùxiè.

His attitude appears very disdainful.

不要为那些琐屑的争论浪费精力。

Bùyào wèi nàxiē suǒxiè de zhēnglùn làngfèi jīnglì.

Don't waste energy on those trivial arguments.

她对他的道歉表示不屑，转身离开了。

Tā duì tā de dàoqiàn biǎoshì bùxiè, zhuǎnshēn líkāi le.

She showed disdain for his apology and turned away.

对于这种琐屑的日常事务，他从来都不屑于亲自处理。

Duìyú zhè zhǒng suǒxiè de rìcháng shìwù, tā cónglái dōu bùxiè yú qīnzì chǔlǐ.

For such trivial daily affairs, he never deigns to handle them personally.

Related Characters

Component: 尸

Component: 肖

屑