窶 (jù) - Poor & impoverished

窶Tone 4

jù ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

窶 · jù

Poor;

impoverished;

destitute;

shabby;

humble;

meager;

deficient.

Poorimpoverisheddestitute

Usage highlights

Poverty and lowlinessPoor and humbleDestitute and impoverishedShabby and crudePoor familyMeager and deficient

Synonyms

  • 贫— poor; impoverished
  • 穷— poor; destitute
  • 困— impoverished; difficult

Antonyms

  • 富— wealthy; rich
  • 裕— abundant; plentiful
  • 丰— abundant; plentiful

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He comes from a poor family (家境贫窶).
  • The room was shabby and small (窶陋的房间).
  • They lived in impoverished conditions (生活窶困).
  • His knowledge on the subject is meager (知识窶乏).

Collocations

  • Poverty and lowliness(贫窶)
  • Poor and humble(窶贱)
  • Destitute and impoverished(窶困)
  • Shabby and crude(窶陋)
  • Poor family(窶家)
  • Meager and deficient(窶乏)

Idioms

  • Poverty and lowliness, hardship and distress(贫窶卑辱)
  • To be poor and have many children(窶人多子)
  • To rise from poverty to wealth(起窶为富)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 窶 carries strong connotations of material poverty and social lowliness in classical Chinese contexts.
  • The character appears frequently in classical literature describing the hardships of scholars and common people.
  • In naming contexts, it is generally avoided due to its negative connotations of poverty and deficiency.

FAQ