About
The character '贪', denoting greed, evolved from its traditional form '貪', which is etymologically constructed from the component '今' meaning 'now' positioned above '貝' representing currency or valuables, thereby encapsulating the notion of an insistent desire for immediate wealth. While its fundamental meaning of avarice has remained stable over centuries, the term's usage has extended metaphorically to describe voracious appetites for non-material pursuits like power or status. Structurally, the simplified iteration '贪' maintains the upper element '今' but replaces the lower '貝' with its abbreviated form '贝', thus conserving the character's essential semantic and phonetic composition despite the visual modification.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
贪吃是不好的。
他总是贪图享受。
贪污是犯罪行为。
他因为贪婪而失败。
他贪小便宜吃了亏。
政府严厉打击贪污腐败。
如果一个人太贪心,就会失去朋友。
贪婪的欲望驱使他不择手段地追求财富。