About
The character "竭" is constructed from the semantic component "立", which suggests standing or establishing, combined with the phonetic and semantic component "曷", which historically conveyed a sense of reaching a limit or ending. This structure originally implied a foundation being brought to its extremity or a state of being exhausted. Its core meaning has consistently centered on the concept of depletion or using something up completely. While its early applications often described the drying up of physical resources like wells or streams, its usage expanded to encompass the complete expenditure of human effort or abstract resources, leading to its common modern meanings of exhaustion and doing one's utmost.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他学习时竭尽全力。
整个社区竭力帮助受灾家庭。
团队必须竭诚合作才能成功。
保护水资源，防止其枯竭。
诗人用尽了他创造的才思，终于衰竭了。
政府承诺将竭尽所能改善民生。
他的生命之火虽弱，却永不竭灭。
这种竭泽而渔的发展模式是不可持续的。