verb HSK 5
Traditional 遺
to lose · to leave behind · to omit · to bequeath
Meaning
遗 means to lose something unintentionally, to leave something behind, or to omit. It often appears in formal or literary contexts. The character combines the radical for movement/walking with a phonetic component, suggesting something that has been left in one's path or trail.
Usage
遗 is commonly used in compound words rather than standalone. It appears in formal expressions like 遗憾 (regret), 遗失 (to lose), and 遗产 (heritage/inheritance). In modern spoken Chinese, it's less common as a single character but very productive in two-character combinations.
Examples
- 01我很遗憾不能参加你的婚礼。.I very much regret that I cannot attend your wedding.
- 02这座古城的遗址吸引了许多游客。.The ruins of this ancient city attract many tourists.
Common collocations
- 遗忘to forget
- 遗址ruins, historical site
- 遗嘱will, testament
- 遗传heredity, to inherit (genetically)
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 遺 consists of the walking radical 辶 and a phonetic component 貴. The character originally depicted something valuable left behind during travel.