Meaning
消 is a common verb meaning to disappear, eliminate, or dissipate. It often appears in compound words related to消除 (elimination), 消息 (news/information), or 消费 (consumption). As a standalone character, it can mean to pass time or to need/require.
Usage
消 is rarely used alone in modern Mandarin and typically appears in two-character compounds. When used independently, it usually means to spend or pass time (e.g., 消夏 'to pass the summer'). In daily conversation, you'll most often encounter it in words like 消息 (news), 取消 (to cancel), or 消失 (to disappear).
Examples
- 01他的身影慢慢消失在夜色中。.His figure slowly disappeared into the night.
- 02这件事消了我一整天的时间。.This matter took up my entire day.
Common collocations
- 消化to digest
- 消费to consume, consumption
- 消灭to eliminate, to annihilate
- 消毒to disinfect
Antonyms
Origin
The character 消 combines the water radical 氵(water) with 肖 (xiāo, to resemble). The original meaning related to water gradually disappearing or melting away, which extended metaphorically to general disappearance and elimination.