Definitions
(bound form) to die prematurely (also pr. [yǎo]); (literary) (of vegetation) luxuriant
(bound form) to die prematurely (also pr. [yǎo]) (variant of 夭[yāo])
Etymology
Depicts a person walking quickly. Original form of 走. Relation to current meaning unclear.
About
The character 夭 derives from an early pictographic representation of a figure with arms outstretched, conveying a sense of motion or dance, which structurally modifies the component 大, meaning "person", by adding a curved stroke at the top to suggest a leaning or bending posture. This inclination etymologically informed its core meanings, initially evoking the pliability of youth and later narrowing to imply a life cut short, as in the sense of dying prematurely. Over centuries, its semantic range expanded again through literary usage, such as in the classical expression 桃之夭夭, where it describes the supple and flourishing appearance of plants, thus balancing connotations of early demise with those of vibrant growth and elegance.
Example Sentences Hide
那棵小树夭折了。
他的梦想不幸夭折。
这场疾病使许多孩子夭亡。
她的才华还没有展现就夭折了。
那个计划因为资金问题夭折了。
这株植物在幼苗阶段就夭折了。
他们的爱情在萌芽时期就夭折了。
这个创新项目由于缺乏支持而夭折。