甈 (qì) - To dry out & to become brittle

甈Tone 4

qì ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

七器

甈 · qì

To dry out;

to become brittle;

to decay;

to break;

to be ruined;

also refers to a type of earthenware vessel.

To dry outto become brittleto decay

Usage highlights

Brittle vesselRuined siteDrying and crackingDecayed structureAncient potteryEarthenware fragment

Synonyms

  • 脆— brittle, fragile
  • 坏— broken, ruined
  • 腐— decayed, rotten

Antonyms

  • 坚— hard, solid
  • 固— firm, stable
  • 新— new, fresh

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The pottery became brittle after firing (甈器).
  • The ancient vessel was discovered in ruins (甈墟).
  • The material dried out and cracked (甈裂).
  • The structure decayed over time (甈坏).

Collocations

  • Brittle vessel(甈器)
  • Ruined site(甈墟)
  • Drying and cracking(甈裂)
  • Decayed structure(甈坏)
  • Ancient pottery(古甈)
  • Earthenware fragment(甈片)

Idioms

  • Like dried-out pottery(如甈之脆)
  • Fragile as ancient earthenware(脆若古甈)
  • Ruined and broken(甈败不堪)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to dried-out or brittle earthenware vessels in ancient China.
  • Used metaphorically to describe things that are fragile, decayed, or ruined.
  • Appears in classical texts describing archaeological finds or deteriorated objects.

FAQ