(shòu) - thin, lean, emaciated & tight (of clothing)

Tone 4

shòu | 14 strokes | radical:

· shòu

thin, lean, emaciated;

tight (of clothing);

not fertile (of land).

thin, lean, emaciatedtight (of clothing)not fertile (of land).

Usage highlights

thin personlose weightthin facethin bodyskinnythin and small

Synonyms

  • slender, thin
  • thin (for objects)

Antonyms

  • fat, plump
  • fat, fertile

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She has become very thin (她很瘦).
  • He is tall and lean (他又高又瘦).
  • This shirt is a bit tight (这件衬衫有点瘦).
  • The soil in this area is poor (这片土地很瘦).

Collocations

  • thin person(瘦人)
  • lose weight(变瘦)
  • thin face(瘦脸)
  • thin body(瘦身)
  • skinny(瘦削)
  • thin and small(瘦小)

Idioms

  • Thin as a stick(骨瘦如柴)
  • Thin horse with long hair – a talented person in humble circumstances(瘦马长毛)
  • Thin field, hungry farmer(瘦田瘠农)
  • Thin as a wolf, hungry as a hawk(瘦狼饿鹰)
  • Thin inside, fat outside – outwardly rich but inwardly poor(瘦内肥外)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally, being thin was often associated with poverty, hardship, or illness in Chinese culture.
  • In modern times, the character is heavily used in the context of dieting, fitness, and body image.
  • In agricultural contexts, it describes land that is not fertile and yields poor crops.

FAQ