About
The character 枯, meaning withered or dried, is a phono-semantic compound formed from the semantic component 木, denoting wood or plants, and the phonetic component 古, which provides sound and also carries connotations of age or antiquity, thus conceptually linking dryness to the passage of time. Its structure has remained consistent, with the wood radical perpetually indicating an association with organic matter, while the phonetic element reliably guides pronunciation. Originally describing the physical state of plants that have lost moisture, the term's usage expanded over time to encompass any object or substance devoid of vitality, and later adopted metaphorical applications to describe abstract concepts such as lifeless ideas or infertile periods, all while retaining its fundamental essence of desiccation and decay.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
小草枯黄了。
树木在秋天枯萎。
枯枝在风中摇摆。
长期干旱导致井枯。
他的声音枯涩无力。
经济枯竭让人担忧。
她的创作灵感枯竭了。
这片土地因缺水而枯荒。