窮

Translingual

Han character

窮 (Kangxi radical 116, 穴+10, 15 strokes, cangjie input 十金竹竹弓 (JCHHN), four-corner 3022₇, composition ⿱穴躬)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 867, character 10
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 25593
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2737, character 12
• Unihan data for U+7AAE

Chinese

Glyph origin

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡuŋ) : semantic 穴 (“cave; nest; confinement”) + phonetic 躬 (OC *kuŋ).

Etymology

Possibly a vocalic variant of 邛 (OC *ɡoŋ, “distress”) (Schuessler, 2007). See there for more.

Pronunciation

Definitions

窮

1. to exhaust

   窮兵黷武／穷兵黩武  ―  qióngbīngdúwǔ  ―  to go all in with wars

   • 欲窮千里目，更上一層樓。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 8th century, Wang Zhihuan, 登鸛雀樓

     Yù qióng qiānlǐ mù, gèng shàng yī céng lóu.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. to thoroughly investigate

   窮根究底／穷根究底  ―  qiónggēnjiūdǐ  ―  to dig into the very roots of the matter

   • 漁人甚異之，復前行，欲窮其林。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     渔人甚异之，复前行，欲穷其林。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 421, Tao Yuanming, 桃花源記 (The Peach Blossom Spring)

     Yúrén shèn yì zhī, fù qiánxíng, yù qióng qí lín.

     Amazed at the sight, the fisherman pressed ahead. He wanted to make his way to the end of the forest.

3. to be in the wrong and unable to argue further

   • 遁辭知其所窮。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     遁辞知其所穷。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Dùn cí zhī qí suǒqióng.

     When words are evasive, I know how the mind is at its wit's end.

4. to be in dire straits; to suffer from lack of opportunity, support, etc.

   Antonym: 達／达

   • 子路慍見曰：「君子亦有窮乎？」子曰：「君子固窮，小人窮斯濫矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子路愠见曰：「君子亦有穷乎？」子曰：「君子固穷，小人穷斯滥矣。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐ Lù yùn jiàn yuē: “Jūnzǐ yì yǒu qióng hū?” Zǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ gù qióng, xiǎorén qióng sī làn yǐ.”

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 窮則獨善其身，達則兼善天下。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     穷则独善其身，达则兼善天下。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Qióng zé dú shàn qíshēn, dá zé jiān shàn tiānxià.

     When in difficulty, one preserves one's own virtue in solitude. When the opportunity arises, one shares the benefits with all.

   • 窮者欲達其言，勞者須歌其事。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     穷者欲达其言，劳者须歌其事。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 578, Yu Xin (庾信), The Lament for the South (《哀江南賦》)

     Qióngzhě yù dá qíyán, láozhě xū gē qíshì.

     A failed one shall speak with unfading words,
     The weary must sing out his toil aloud.

5. poor; destitute; impoverished

   Antonym: 富 (fù)

   貧窮／贫穷  ―  pínqióng  ―  lacking; suffering from want

   人窮志不窮／人穷志不穷  ―  rén qióng zhì bù qióng  ―  poor in money but not in aspiration

6. to be exhausted; to be used up

   無窮無盡／无穷无尽  ―  wúqióngwújìn  ―  to be inexhaustible

   理屈詞窮／理屈词穷  ―  lǐqūcíqióng  ―  unable to argue any further; having no more excuses

   • 軻既取圖奉之，發圖，圖窮而匕首見。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     轲既取图奉之，发图，图穷而匕首见。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE

     Kē jì qǔ tú fèng zhī, fā tú, tú qióng ér bǐshǒu xiàn.

     Jing Ke took the map scroll and presented it. He unrolled the map, and when it reached the end, the dagger appeared.

7. remote; out-of-the-way

   窮鄉僻壤／穷乡僻壤  ―  qióngxiāngpìrǎng  ―  remote and backwater place

8. extremely

   窮凶極惡／穷凶极恶  ―  qióngxiōngjí'è  ―  extremely ferocious and evil

9. thoroughly

   窮究／穷究  ―  qióngjiū  ―  to dig deep into something

   窮追猛打／穷追猛打  ―  qióngzhuīměngdǎ  ―  hotly pursue and fiercely attack

10. excessively; inappropriately attentive to details; snobbishly; frivolously

    窮講究／穷讲究  ―  qióng jiǎngjiū  ―  to be too fine in tastes; to be a snob

11. 69th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "exhaustion, tiredness" (𝍊)
12. (Northern Wu) very; quite

    窮大／穷大 [Suzhounese]  ―  ²jion ⁶dou [Wugniu]  ―  very big

    俚讀書窮用功。 [Suzhounese, trad.]
    俚读书穷用功。 [Suzhounese, simp.]

    ¹li ⁸doq-syu₁ ²jion ²yon₆-kon₁ [Wugniu]

    He studies very studiously.

13. name of an ancient state

    Synonym: 有窮／有穷 (Yǒuqióng)

Usage notes

• (very): In Suzhounese, younger speakers tend to use this in place of 蠻／蛮.

Synonyms

• (poor):

• (very):

Compounds

Further reading

• “窮”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

(common “Jōyō” kanji)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

• Go-on: ぐ (gu); ぐう (gū)
• Kan-on: きゅう (kyū, Jōyō)^{←きゆう (kyuu, historical)}
• Kun: きわめる (kiwameru, 窮める, Jōyō)^{←きはめる (kifameru, 窮める, historical)}; きわまる (kiwamaru, 窮まる, Jōyō)^{←きはまる (kifamaru, 窮まる, historical)}; きわまり (kiwamari, 窮まり)^{←きはまり (kifamari, 窮まり, historical)}; きわみ (kiwami, 窮み)^{←きはみ (kifami, 窮み, historical)}

Korean

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

窮

Wikisource

窮 (eumhun 다할 궁 (dahal gung))

1. Hanja form^? of 궁 (“poor, destitute, impoverished”).

窮 (eumhun 궁할 궁 (gunghal gung))

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

窮: Hán Nôm readings: cùng, khùng, còng, càng

Readings

窮: Hán Việt readings: khùng
窮: Nôm readings: cùng, khùng, còng, càng

Etymology 1

Adjective

窮 • (khùng)

1. crazy

Etymology 2

Noun

窮 • (càng)

1. nipper, pincer

References

• Lê Sơn Thanh, "Nom-Viet.dat", WinVNKey (details)
• Nôm Lookup Tool, Vietnamese Nom Preservation Foundation
• Phạm Đình Hổ (18 c.), Nhật dụng thường đàm