noun (bound morpheme) HSK 3
garbage · trash · rubbish
Meaning
圾 is a bound morpheme that means garbage or trash. It almost never appears alone in modern Mandarin and is primarily used in the compound word 垃圾 (lājī), which is the standard term for garbage, trash, or rubbish.
Usage
This character is rarely used independently and almost exclusively appears in the word 垃圾. Native speakers would not typically use 圾 by itself in speech or writing. When discussing trash or waste, always use the full compound 垃圾.
Examples
- 01请把垃圾扔进垃圾桶。.Please throw the garbage into the trash can.
- 02这里的垃圾分类做得很好。.The garbage sorting here is done very well.
Common collocations
- 垃圾garbage, trash
Origin
The character 圾 consists of the earth radical 土 on the left, suggesting something discarded on the ground, combined with a phonetic component.