About
The character 废, whose traditional form is 廢, originates from a conceptual combination of the radical 广, representing a building or structure, and the phonetic component 發, which also carries connotations of sending forth or acting. This structure initially pointed to the idea of a building falling into ruin or collapsing from disuse, a meaning that logically extended to encompass broader notions of decay, abandonment, and ceasing to function. Over time, its application moved from the purely physical realm into more abstract and administrative domains, signifying the act of abolishing or invalidating systems, laws, or practices. This semantic expansion continued further into the personal and social spheres, where it acquired the sense of being rendered useless or ineffective, eventually giving rise to modern terms describing disability and, in certain colloquial contexts, a state of exhaustive depletion. The simplified form 废 replaced the complex phonetic element with 发, a homophonous component, streamlining the character while retaining its core phonetic clue and established semantic range.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
别再说废话了。
这个废物没用。
请把废纸扔进垃圾桶。
政府废除了旧法律。
工厂废弃了旧设备。
这些废品可以回收利用。
处理工业废料需要小心。
由于经济原因，项目被废除了。