adjective / verb HSK 5
tired · weary · lacking · short of
Meaning
乏 means tired, fatigued, or lacking in something. It often appears in compound words and literary contexts. As a standalone character, it conveys a sense of weariness or deficiency, both physical and metaphorical.
Usage
乏 is more common in written Chinese and formal speech than in everyday casual conversation. It frequently appears in compounds like 疲乏 (tired), 贫乏 (poor/impoverished), and 缺乏 (lacking). When used alone, it tends to sound somewhat literary or formal compared to everyday alternatives like 累.
Examples
- 01他因为工作过度而感到疲乏。.He felt tired due to overwork.
- 02这个地区缺乏自然资源。.This region lacks natural resources.
Common collocations
- 疲乏不堪extremely exhausted
- 缺乏经验lack experience
- 贫乏无力poor and powerless
Antonyms
Origin
The character 乏 originally depicted a person bent over or stooping, suggesting exhaustion or weakness. This pictographic origin relates to its modern meanings of tiredness and deficiency.