臞 (qú) - Thin, emaciated, lean & to become thin or haggard

臞Tone 2

qú ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

臞 · qú

Thin, emaciated, lean;

to become thin or haggard;

also used to describe a lean appearance.

Thin, emaciated, leanto become thin or haggardalso used to describe a lean appearance.

Usage highlights

Thin and haggardLean horseEmaciated appearanceThin and weakLean bodyHaggard face

Synonyms

  • 瘦— thin, lean
  • 瘠— emaciated, barren
  • 羸— thin, weak

Antonyms

  • 肥— fat, plump
  • 胖— fat, chubby
  • 腴— plump, fertile

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He looked thin and haggard after his illness (面容清臞).
  • The lean horse won the race (臞马).
  • Her figure was slender and delicate (体态臞弱).

Collocations

  • Thin and haggard(清臞)
  • Lean horse(臞马)
  • Emaciated appearance(臞容)
  • Thin and weak(臞弱)
  • Lean body(臞体)
  • Haggard face(臞面)

Idioms

  • Thin as a crane, elegant as a pine(鹤臞松姿)
  • Lean but strong, enduring hardship(臞而能坚)
  • Thin in body but rich in spirit(身臞神丰)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese aesthetics, '臞' often carried positive connotations of scholarly refinement and spiritual richness despite physical leanness.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing sages, hermits, and scholars who valued spiritual cultivation over physical comfort.
  • In traditional medicine, '臞' was used to describe pathological thinness resulting from illness or malnutrition.

FAQ