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罄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
罄qìngempty; to exhaust, to run out, to use upvg, 17 strokes, radical 缶, rank #41239, Very Hard
qìng(qing4)qing T4
  1. 1empty; to exhaust, to run out, to use up
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March 24, 2026

罄qìng(qing4)

The character 罄 (qìng) primarily means 'to exhaust' or 'to use up.' It is often used in contexts where something is completely consumed or depleted, such as resources or energy. This character can also convey a sense of emptiness, emphasizing the totality of depletion.

Strokes17Radical缶Frequency#41239DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

The concept of exhaustion is often reflected in Chinese literature and philosophy, where the idea of depleting one's resources or spirit can symbolize sacrifice or commitment. This character may appear in historical texts discussing resource management or moral integrity.

Memory tip

To remember 罄 (qìng), visualize a barrel (the radical 罒) that has been tipped over and is completely empty, signifying it has been 'exhausted' of its contents. The sound 'qìng' can be associated with the idea of a 'king' ('q') who has used up all his resources in a grand battle, leaving him empty-handed.

Meanings of 罄

qìng(qing4)
1empty; to exhaust, to run out, to use up
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 罄

罄Simplified
17Strokes
缶Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 罄

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Podcast: 罄

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AI Study Notes for 罄

Quick Contrast

耗 (hào) vs 罄 (qìng): use 耗 when focusing on the process of consumption or waste; use 罄 to emphasize total depletion.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 罄 (qìng) with similar-sounding characters that may have different meanings. It is typically used in more formal contexts, so learners should be cautious when using it in casual conversation. Phrases like '罄竹难书' (to exhaust the bamboo, meaning too many things to list) are common collocations.

HSK Study Tips

Though 罄 (qìng) is not part of HSK vocabulary, it shares semantic fields with other words related to emptiness and exhaustion, such as 空 (kōng, empty) and 用尽 (yòng jìn, to use up). Students should focus on recognizing its use in literary contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 罄 (qìng) with 空 (kōng), thinking both mean 'empty,' but 罄 emphasizes total depletion. For example, saying '罄的水' (empty water) is incorrect; it should be '空的水'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 罄

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Etymology of 罄

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 缶 represents the meaning and 殸 represents the sound.

Memory hint

pottery

Semantic (meaning)缶
+
Phonetic (sound)殸
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

罄 = 缶 + 殸. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 罄

IDS Structure⿱殸缶
罄Full character
=
殸qing4
top
缶fou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 罄?

How to say empty; to exhaust, to run out, to use up in Chinese

“empty; to exhaust, to run out, to use up” in Chinese is罄qìng

The character 罄 (qìng) primarily means 'to exhaust' or 'to use up.' It is often used in contexts where something is completely consumed or depleted, such as resources or energy. This character can also convey a sense of emptiness, emphasizing the totality of depletion.

When to use 罄

Common mistakes include confusing 罄 (qìng) with similar-sounding characters that may have different meanings. It is typically used in more formal contexts, so learners should be cautious when using it in casual conversation. Phrases like '罄竹难书' (to exhaust the bamboo, meaning too many things to list) are common collocations.

罄 or something close to it

耗 (hào) vs 罄 (qìng): use 耗 when focusing on the process of consumption or waste; use 罄 to emphasize total depletion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 罄 (qìng) with 空 (kōng), thinking both mean 'empty,' but 罄 emphasizes total depletion. For example, saying '罄的水' (empty water) is incorrect; it should be '空的水'.

Write 罄

罄

Practice writing 罄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 罄

罄 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

演出门票在70分钟内即告售____。

Tickets for the show sold out in 70 minutes.

Example Sentences for 罄 (1)

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1
演出门票在70分钟内即告售罄。

yǎn chū mén piào zài70 70 fēn zhōng nèi jí gào shòu。

Tickets for the show sold out in 70 minutes.

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Word Family of 罄

Words containing this character5
罄qìngto use up
罄竹难书innumerable crimes (idiom)罄竹難書
告罄to run out
罄尽to use up entirely罄盡
罄竭used up
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 罄

What does 罄竹难书 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 罄

It is pronounced as 'qìng' with a falling tone.

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