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蠹弊

Word · Noun · VerbTraditional蠹

bookworm; borer; harm

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 4 examples
1.

noun

moth; bookworm; borer (insect that bores into wood or paper)

literary

Specifically refers to insects that eat books, paper, or wood, such as silverfish or woodworms.

Gǔ古
jí籍
ruò若
bǎo保
guǎn管
bú不
shàn善
 ，
jí极
yì易
zāo遭
dù蠹
chóng虫
zhù蛀
shí蚀
 。

Ancient books are highly susceptible to being eaten by bookworms if not stored properly.

Zhè这
gēn根
liáng梁
zhù柱
nèi内
bù部
yǐ已
bèi被
dù蠹
kōng空
 。

This beam has been hollowed out from the inside by borers.

2.

verb

to corrode; to eat away; to undermine

literary

Used metaphorically to describe something that gradually undermines or destroys from within, like corruption or a bad habit.

Tān贪
wū污
fǔ腐
bài败
shì是
dù蠹
hài害
guó国
jiā家
gēn根
jī基
de的
dú毒
liú瘤
 。

Corruption is a malignant tumor that undermines the foundation of the nation.

Lǎn懒
duò惰
huì会
dù蠹
shí蚀
yī一
gè个
rén人
de的
jìn进
qǔ取
xīn心
 。

Laziness can eat away at a person's ambition.