About
The character 丐 (gài), meaning "to beg" or "a beggar", is an ideogram closely related to 亡 (wáng, "to flee" or "perish"). Its earliest form depicted an obstruction of breath or a person seeking what was lacking, which gradually evolved into the specific meaning of asking for alms. As it lacks a standard radical-phonetic structure, etymologists classify it as a modified symbol whose form itself suggests a state of depletion or a request for aid. Over time, its primary meaning narrowed almost exclusively to the act of begging or referring to those who beg, losing the broader associations with breath or simple physical obstruction present in its initial conception.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
路边有个乞丐。
那个乞丐很可怜。
乞丐向行人乞讨。
每天都有乞丐在这里。
人们有时会帮助乞丐。
丐帮是小说中的组织。
虽然他是乞丐，但很有尊严。
现代社会仍存在乞丐现象。