衰

shuāi
#1,700 most
frequent character
(bound form) to decay, to decline

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

衰 shows 衣 upper garment beside a part for grass fibers, so it first meant a raincoat made of palm straw. It grew to mean decline and weakness. Read cuī, it means mourning clothes.

Drawn as: upper garment; grass fibers

衰 as a component in other characters

meaning1 character
蓑
sound2 characters
蓑榱

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Same Characters, Different Readings

衰cuī
variant of 縗|缞[cui1]

Homophones

HSK 5
摔shuāi
to throw down, to fall

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