About
The character "苟" is structured with the grass radical "艹" positioned above the phonetic component "句", a formation that points to its early semantic connection to plant life. Etymologically, it originally denoted a specific kind of grass, yet through gradual linguistic development, it acquired abstract meanings such as "careless" or "temporary", evident in compounds like "苟且". This semantic expansion also led to its adoption in classical Chinese as a conditional particle conveying "if" or "provided that", marking a transition from concrete reference to grammatical utility. While the visual composition continues to hint at its botanical origins, the operative meanings of the character have long shifted away from this literal foundation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
苟且偷生是不负责任的表现。
他绝不会苟同这种荒谬的观点。
在原则问题上，我们不能有一丝苟且。
那种苟延残喘的生活毫无尊严。
他宁愿清白地死，也不愿苟活于世。
科学研究需要严谨，容不得半点苟且。
这种苟合的利益联盟注定不会长久。
面对强权，他从未苟且偷安，而是奋起抗争。