弃

棄

qì

廾 + 𠫓

Definitions

qì (verb) to abandon; to discard; to throw away

Etymology

Simplified form of 棄. Pictograph of two hands (廾) putting a child (𠫓) in a basket (其) for the purpose of abandoning or disposing with it. The traditional component 其 was removed for simplification.

About

弃 is the simplified form of 棄. The traditional character originally depicted two hands (廾) placing an inverted child (𠫓) into a basket (其), symbolizing abandonment or disposal. In simplification, the basket component 其 was removed, leaving the child (now written as 亠 and 厶) and the hands (廾) to form 弃, which obscures the full visual narrative. The meaning remains 'to abandon, discard, or forsake', applicable to a physical object, a person, or an abstract concept like a right or habit.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

不要放弃希望。

Bú yào fàngqì xīwàng.

Don't give up hope.

他抛弃了旧衣服。

Tā pāoqì le jiù yīfu.

He discarded old clothes.

我们绝不能放弃梦想。

Wǒmen jué bù néng fàngqì mèngxiǎng.

We must never give up on dreams.

她决定放弃这个机会。

Tā juédìng fàngqì zhège jīhuì.

She decided to give up this opportunity.

丢弃垃圾时要分类。

Diūqì lājī shí yào fēnlèi.

When discarding garbage, sort it.

公司放弃了那个亏损的项目。

Gōngsī fàngqì le nàgè kuīsǔn de xiàngmù.

The company abandoned that loss-making project.

在困难面前，他从未放弃过。

Zài kùnnan miànqián, tā cóngwèi fàngqì guò.

In the face of difficulties, he never gave up.

为了保护环境，我们应该减少废弃物的产生。

Wèile bǎohù huánjìng, wǒmen yīnggāi jiǎnshǎo fèiqìwù de chǎnshēng.

To protect the environment, we should reduce the generation of waste.

Related Characters

Component: 廾

Component: 𠫓

弃