竭 (jié) - to exhaust & to use up

竭Tone 2

jié ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

竭 · jié

to exhaust;

to use up;

to drain;

to do one's utmost.

to exhaustto use upto drain

Usage highlights

Exhaust one's strengthUse all one's strengthDried up sourceExhaust one's loyaltyDrain one's wisdomFinancial exhaustion

Synonyms

  • 尽— to exhaust; to use up
  • 耗— to consume; to deplete
  • 殚— to use up; to exhaust

Antonyms

  • 盈— full; abundant
  • 充— sufficient; full
  • 余— surplus; remaining

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He exhausted all his energy (竭尽全力).
  • The water source has dried up (水源枯竭).
  • We must do our utmost to complete the task (竭力完成任务).
  • The company's funds are depleted (公司资金竭蹶).

Collocations

  • Exhaust one's strength(竭力)
  • Use all one's strength(竭尽全力)
  • Dried up source(枯竭)
  • Exhaust one's loyalty(竭忠)
  • Drain one's wisdom(竭智)
  • Financial exhaustion(财力竭蹶)

Idioms

  • To exhaust one's loyalty and wisdom(竭忠尽智)
  • To strain one's voice and exhaust one's strength(声嘶力竭)
  • To drain the lake to catch the fish(竭泽而渔)
  • To exhaust one's thoughts and ingenuity(竭虑殚精)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 竭 embodies the concept of reaching a limit, often carrying a connotation of ultimate effort or complete depletion.
  • In classical texts, it is used to describe the utmost exertion of one's moral, physical, or mental capacities, such as in '竭忠尽智' (exhausting one's loyalty and wisdom).
  • The idiom '竭泽而渔' (draining the pond to get the fish) is a cautionary metaphor against short-sighted, unsustainable exploitation of resources.

FAQ