废 (fèi) - to abolish & to discard

废Tone 4

fèi ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical:

恩丰

废 · fèi

to abolish;

to discard;

to depose;

waste;

useless;

disabled;

abandoned;

invalid.

to abolishto discardto depose

Usage highlights

to abolishto deposewaste materialto abandoninvalid ticketdisabled person

Synonyms

  • 弃— to abandon; to discard
  • 除— to remove; to eliminate
  • 无效— invalid; ineffective

Antonyms

  • 立— to establish; to set up
  • 用— to use; useful
  • 有效— effective; valid

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The old system was abolished (废除).
  • He was dismissed from his position (废黜).
  • This is a waste product (废物).
  • The factory has been abandoned (废弃的工厂).

Collocations

  • to abolish(废除)
  • to depose(废黜)
  • waste material(废物)
  • to abandon(废弃)
  • invalid ticket(废票)
  • disabled person(残疾人)

Idioms

  • To waste time and money(废时失业)
  • To depose the emperor and establish a new one(废立)
  • To talk nonsense(废话连篇)
  • To neglect one's proper work(废寝忘食)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial China, '废' was used in the context of deposing emperors or crown princes, a serious political act.
  • The character conveys strong negative connotations of uselessness and worthlessness in modern usage.
  • Environmental concerns have made terms like '废物' (waste) particularly significant in contemporary discourse.

FAQ