Chinese Character: 荒
1. Character Basics
Radical: 艸/艹 (cǎo) - Grass radical
Stroke Count: 9 strokes
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Huāng (First tone)
3. Meaning
Basic Meaning: Waste; barren; desolate; uncultivated; neglected
Extended Meanings: Wild; rough; extravagant; scarcity; famine
Additional Notes: Often used to describe land that is not cultivated or places that are deserted
4. Common Words
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荒地 (huāngdì) - Wasteland; barren land
Example: 他们计划把这片荒地变成农田。(They plan to turn this wasteland into farmland.)
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荒野 (huāngyě) - Wilderness; wilds
Example: 探险家们穿越了这片荒野。(The explorers crossed this wilderness.)
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荒凉 (huāngliáng) - Desolate; bleak; barren
Example: 这个村庄现在变得很荒凉。(This village has become very desolate now.)
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饥荒 (jīhuāng) - Famine; scarcity of food
Example: 这个地区正遭受严重的饥荒。(This area is suffering from severe famine.)
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荒废 (huāngfèi) - To be neglected; to fall into disuse
Example: 这栋房子已经荒废多年了。(This house has been neglected for many years.)
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Adjective; noun; verb
Common Usage: Often used to describe land, places, or situations that are not properly maintained or utilized
Common Structures:
- [Noun] + 荒: 土地荒了。(The land is barren.)
- 荒 + [Noun]: 荒山野岭 (Barren mountains and wild ridges)
- [Verb] + 荒: 让田地荒芜了。(Left the fields to become barren.)
Usage Notes: When describing extreme scarcity of food, use "饥荒" instead of just "荒"
6. Cultural Background
Agricultural Culture: In traditional Chinese agricultural society, the concept of "荒" was closely related to land management and food production
Environmental Protection: The character "荒" also reflects Chinese values regarding environmental conservation and sustainable development
Literary Symbolism: In Chinese literature, "荒" is often used to symbolize desolation, loneliness, or the passage of time
Historical Context: Throughout Chinese history, periods of famine (饥荒) have had significant social and political impacts
7. Example Sentence
1. 这片土地因为长期无人耕种而荒芜了。(This land has become barren due to long-term neglect of cultivation.)
2. 他们在荒野中迷路了三天。(They were lost in the wilderness for three days.)
3. 政府正在采取措施防止农田荒废。(The government is taking measures to prevent farmland from being neglected.)
8. Memory Tips
- Break down the character: "荒" consists of "艹" (grass) on top and "巟" (wild, rough) below
- Associate with imagery: Imagine overgrown grass covering a desolate area
- Sound-meaning connection: The pronunciation "huāng" connects to words like "荒地" (wasteland) and "荒凉" (desolate)
- Visual memory: Picture a barren landscape with sparse vegetation
- Create scenarios: Think of situations where land becomes "荒" due to neglect or natural disasters