Meaning
丧 primarily means 'to lose' or 'to be deprived of,' especially in formal or serious contexts. It commonly relates to death and mourning, appearing in words like 丧礼 (funeral) and 丧失 (to lose something important). As an adjective, it can describe feeling discouraged or dispirited.
Usage
丧 is more formal and literary than everyday speech. It frequently appears in compound words dealing with loss, death, or funerals. In modern internet slang, 丧 has gained popularity to describe a pessimistic or discouraged mood (丧文化 'discouraged culture'). The pronunciation changes to sāng in certain compounds like 丧事.
Examples
- 01他在那次事故中丧失了行走的能力。.He lost the ability to walk in that accident.
- 02最近工作压力太大，我感到很丧。, .Work pressure has been too great lately; I feel really down.
Common collocations
- 丧失to lose (ability, confidence, etc.)
- 丧命to lose one's life
- 丧事funeral affairs
- 沮丧dejected, dispirited
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 喪 shows a person (亡 'death/loss') with two hands and a mouth, depicting mourning rituals. The simplified form 丧 retains the core meaning of loss and death.