verb HSK 5
to wither · to fade · to wilt · to decline
Meaning
凋 describes the natural process of flowers, leaves, or plants withering and fading. It captures the image of beauty or vitality gradually declining and dying. The character is primarily used in literary or poetic contexts to evoke a sense of impermanence or decay.
Usage
This character is most commonly seen in compound words rather than used alone in everyday speech. It appears frequently in written Chinese, especially in literary works, poetry, and formal descriptions of nature. Native speakers typically use compounds like 凋谢 or 凋零 rather than 凋 by itself.
Examples
- 01花园里的玫瑰已经开始凋谢了。.The roses in the garden have already begun to wither.
- 02秋风吹过，树叶纷纷凋落。, .As the autumn wind blows, the leaves fall one after another.
Common collocations
- 凋零to wither and fall
- 凋谢to wither and fade
- 凋敝impoverished; in decline
- 凋落to wither and fall
Antonyms
Origin
The character 凋 combines the ice radical 冫(suggesting coldness or loss of vitality) with 周 (zhōu, meaning complete or周), indicating the complete process of withering from beginning to end.