荒
barren; desolate; crop failure; wasteland; neglect; shortage; absurd
Meanings
9 senses · 22 examplesadjective
(land) barren; uncultivated
Describes farmland or plots of land that is left untended.
This farmland has gone uncultivated because no one tends to it.
The area around the abandoned old house has become overgrown and barren.
adjective
desolate; bleak; unpopulated
formalUsed to describe remote, quiet, or uninhabited areas.
There are a few desolate villages on the edge of the desert.
The coastal town looked especially desolate after the typhoon.
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There are no residents on this uninhabited island.
noun
crop failure; famine
formalRefers to agricultural disasters leading to food shortages.
Three consecutive years of drought have brought multiple crop failures to this region.
The local government stored grain in advance to prepare for crop failures.
noun
wasteland; uncultivated land
Can refer to both rural unused land and urban vacant lots.
The farmers are reclaiming this virgin wasteland.
We have planted wheat on this previously cultivated wasteland.
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The government encourages villagers to open up wasteland to grow fruit trees.
verb
neglect; let (skills/studies) lapse
Used for skills, studies, or habits that have fallen into disuse.
Don't neglect your schoolwork just because it's vacation.
I haven't played chess in years, and my skills have grown rusty.
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He hasn't spoken English in a long time, so his oral skills are a bit rusty.
noun
severe shortage; lack
formalUsed to describe shortages of essential goods or resources.
The country faced a severe food shortage during the war.
There is often a coal shortage during winter heating season.
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Big cities have been facing a housing shortage for a long time.
adjective
absurd; ridiculous; unreasonable
neutralUsed to criticize ideas, stories, or actions that make no logical sense.
This statement is so absurd that no one believes it.
His ridiculous ideas make people laugh and cry at the same time.
adjective
(dialect) uncertain; unconfirmed
dialectUsed exclusively in informal regional dialects for unsubstantiated information or rough estimates.
I only received some unconfirmed news and haven't verified the details yet.
This number is just a rough estimate and shouldn't be taken seriously.
adjective
dissolute; licentious; unrestrained
derogatoryHas a strong negative connotation, used to describe excessive, immoral behavior.
Some ancient emperors indulged in dissolute lifestyles.
He wasted his career by indulging in hedonistic pleasures all day.