殚 (dān) - To exhaust & to use up completely

殚Tone 1

dān ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

殚 · dān

To exhaust;

to use up completely;

to do one's utmost.

To exhaustto use up completelyto do one's utmost.

Usage highlights

Exhaust one's mental effortsSpare no effortExhaust one's thoughtsUse up all resourcesExhaust one's energyDrain one's strength

Synonyms

  • 竭— to exhaust; to use up
  • 尽— to finish; to use up completely
  • 罄— to use up; to exhaust

Antonyms

  • 蓄— to accumulate; to store up
  • 积— to gather; to accumulate
  • 余— surplus; remainder

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He exhausted his mental efforts (殚精竭虑).
  • The government spared no expense in relief work (殚财竭力).
  • They exhausted all their resources (殚其地之出).
  • The author put all his thought into the book (殚思极虑).

Collocations

  • Exhaust one's mental efforts(殚精)
  • Spare no effort(殚力)
  • Exhaust one's thoughts(殚思)
  • Use up all resources(殚财)
  • Exhaust one's energy(殚竭)
  • Drain one's strength(殚力竭心)

Idioms

  • Exhaust all one's energies and thoughts(殚精竭虑)
  • Spare no effort or expense(殚财竭力)
  • Exhaust all one's mental faculties(殚思极虑)
  • Drain one's energy and exhaust one's thoughts(殚精毕力)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese literature to describe extreme dedication or complete exhaustion of resources.
  • Frequently appears in contexts describing scholarly dedication or administrative thoroughness.
  • Carries connotations of total commitment and exhaustive effort, sometimes with a sense of sacrifice.

FAQ