蚀 (shí) - to erode & to corrode
蚀 · shí
to erode;
to corrode;
to lose;
eclipse (lunar/solar)
to erodeto corrodeto lose
Usage highlights
corrosionlunar eclipsesolar eclipsefinancial losserosionweathering
Usage & contexts
Examples
- Acid can corrode metal (腐蚀金属).
- The company suffered financial losses (公司蚀本).
- We observed a lunar eclipse last night (月蚀).
- Coastal erosion is a serious problem (海岸侵蚀).
Collocations
- corrosion(腐蚀)
- lunar eclipse(月蚀)
- solar eclipse(日蚀)
- financial loss(蚀本)
- erosion(侵蚀)
- weathering(风化蚀)
Idioms
- Suffer losses in business(蚀本生意)
- Be eroded by wind and rain(风雨侵蚀)
- Lunar eclipse occurs(月蚀发生)
Cultural background
FAQ- In traditional Chinese astronomy, solar and lunar eclipses were considered significant omens.
- The character combines 'food/eat' (食) and 'insect' (虫), suggesting being eaten away by insects.
- In business contexts, 蚀本 refers to capital loss or losing one's principal investment.