殄
How to Say
How to Write
Meaning: to exterminate
💡 Tian (sky) + 歹 (bad) = 'exterminate' (bad sky wipes out life).
Compounds
Character Story & Explanation
In a bustling Beijing market, a vendor warns, 'If you waste food, you'll 殄 (tiǎn) your luck!' This rare character means 'to exterminate' or 'to extinguish,' often used in formal or literary contexts. It appears in idioms like 暴殄天物 (bào tiǎn tiān wù), meaning 'to waste natural resources,' reflecting a deep cultural respect for sustainability.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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