About
The character "耗" is structured from the components 耒, which associates with plowing or agriculture, and 毛, often linked to hair or smallness, initially conveying the concept of a rodent that damages harvested grain. This composition informed its early use to describe agricultural loss or spoilage, specifically from pests. Over time, the meaning of "耗" shifted from denoting concrete crop damage to encompassing any form of waste or gradual depletion of materials. Its semantic range further expanded to abstract senses of consumption, referring to the using up of resources, time, or energy, which is central to its function in modern compounds like 消耗, while the colloquial term 耗子 for mouse echoes its original reference.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个游戏很耗时间。
长时间开车非常消耗精力。
这台旧空调太耗电了。
我们不能白白耗费这么多资源。
项目的巨大耗资超出了预算。
研发过程耗去了他们数年心血。
这种低效的工作方式耗损团队士气。
长期的精神内耗会严重影响心理健康。