萎
Character Story & Explanation
萎 appears frequently in modern Chinese media discussing environmental issues (e.g., desertification causing vegetation to 萎), economic slowdowns (‘market confidence has withered’), and even psychology (‘interest in learning has withered’). A well-documented idiom is 萎靡不振 (wěi mǐ bù zhèn), meaning ‘listless and dispirited’, used since the early 20th century in political and literary criticism to describe societal lethargy.
The character’s form is not pictographic but a standardized phono-semantic compound: 艹 (grass radical) + 尾 (wěi, ‘tail’, serving as phonetic). While 尾 originally depicted a tail, here it only provides pronunciation — no tail imagery is involved. Today, Chinese people commonly use 萎 in health reports (e.g., ‘muscle atrophy’ = 肌肉萎缩) and agricultural bulletins describing drought-affected crops.
Hi students! Let’s look at 萎 (wěi), a Level 6 HSK character meaning 'to wither' — like a flower losing color and drooping, or energy fading. It’s built with the grass radical 艹 on top, showing it relates to plants, and the bottom part 尾 (wěi, 'tail') gives sound — this is a phono-semantic compound. Even though it’s advanced, its logic is clear once you know the parts!
Don’t confuse 萎 with similar-looking characters — it’s not about ‘falling’ (like 倒) or ‘dying’ (like 死). It specifically describes gradual loss of vitality: leaves curling, enthusiasm declining, or institutions weakening. In Chinese, we often use it metaphorically — a business may ‘wither’ due to poor management, or someone’s motivation can ‘wither’ after repeated setbacks.
This character appears in formal writing more than daily chat, but you’ll see it in news, essays, and literature. Because it’s HSK 6, mastering it helps you understand nuanced descriptions of decline — ecological, emotional, or societal. Practice writing it slowly: 11 strokes, starting with the grass head. Say ‘wěi’ clearly — third tone, like asking a question with falling-then-rising pitch: ‘wěi?’
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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