About
The character 朽, meaning 'rotten' or 'decayed,' is structured with the wood radical 木 and the phonetic component 丂, reflecting its etymological association with the decomposition of wood. Originally denoting physical decay, particularly in organic materials like timber, its semantic range gradually broadened to encompass abstract concepts of perishability or worthlessness, as observed in classical compounds such as 朽木 for rotten wood and 不朽 for immortality, where it functions in a negated sense to indicate enduring quality.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这块木头腐朽了。
腐朽的木头不能用了。
这些朽木都被扔掉了。
他的精神是不朽的。
这位老朽独自生活。
如果不处理，食物很快就会腐朽。
腐朽的制度必须被改革。
尽管外表看起来坚固，但内部早已腐朽不堪。