癯 (qú) - Thin & emaciated

癯Tone 2

qú ｜ 23 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

癯 · qú

Thin;

emaciated;

lean;

gaunt;

used to describe a thin, frail physical appearance, often due to illness or hardship.

Thinemaciatedlean

Usage highlights

Thin and frailLean faceThin and bonyGaunt appearanceThin but spirited

Synonyms

  • 瘦— thin; skinny
  • 瘠— lean; barren

Antonyms

  • 胖— fat; plump
  • 肥— fat; fertile

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The patient looked very thin and pale (面容清癯).
  • He had a lean and bony figure (身形清癯).
  • The old scholar was thin but spirited (清癯而有神).

Collocations

  • Thin and frail(清癯)
  • Lean face(面容清癯)
  • Thin and bony(瘦癯)
  • Gaunt appearance(形貌清癯)
  • Thin but spirited(清癯有神)

Idioms

  • Thin and frail(形容清癯)
  • Lean and bony(瘦骨清癯)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical and literary Chinese to describe a thin, refined, or scholarly appearance, not necessarily negative.
  • Can carry a connotation of asceticism or a life dedicated to study, free from worldly indulgence.

FAQ