憔悴

Chinese

Pronunciation

Adjective

憔悴

1. (of person) wan and sallow; thin and pallid; haggard; emaciated

   • 衣帶漸寬終不悔，為伊銷得人憔悴。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     衣带渐宽终不悔，为伊销得人憔悴。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 11th century, Liu Yong, Lyrics to the Melody of Butterflies Chasing Flowers (蝶戀花)

     Yīdài jiàn kuān zhōng bù huǐ, wèi yī xiāo dé rén qiáocuì.

     Becoming loose are my clothes yet I regret not,
     For I languish and suffer for her willingly.

   • 2018, 陳百潭 (lyrics and music), “醉萬年”‎performed by 陳百潭:

     是為著彼段開花無結果的戀夢塊失落憔悴 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
     是为着彼段开花无结果的恋梦块失落憔悴 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

     sī ūi-tio̍h hit tōaⁿ khui-hoe bô kiat-kó ê loân-bāng teh sit-lo̍h -chhiâu-chhùi [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

     It's because of that dream of love where flowers bloomed but fruits were not borne, that I'm being depressed and haggard

2. (of plants) withered; wilted
3. (literary, of person) weary; enervated

Synonyms

• (wan and sallow): 㾪妍
• (withered): (literary) 枯索 (kūsuǒ), 枯萎 (kūwěi)

Verb

憔悴

1. (literary) to suffer; to experience hardship; to languish; to be worried

   • 民之憔悴於虐政，未有甚於此時者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     民之憔悴于虐政，未有甚于此时者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Mín zhī qiáocuì yú nüèzhèng, wèi yǒu shèn yú cǐshí zhě yě.

     Never was there a time when the sufferings of the people from tyrannical government were more intense than the present.

Derived terms

Japanese

Etymology

Derived from Middle Chinese 憔悴 (MC dzjew dzwijH).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しょーすい (Heiban – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

憔(しょう)悴(すい) • (shōsui) ^{←せうすい (seusui)?}

1. weary; enervated

Verb

憔(しょう)悴(すい)する • (shōsui suru) ^{←せうすい (seusui)?}suru (stem 憔(しょう)悴(すい)し (shōsui shi), past 憔(しょう)悴(すい)した (shōsui shita))

1. to be weary; to be enervated

Conjugation

References