parasitism; live off others
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to live as a parasite; (of an organism) to live in or on another organism and derive nutrients from it
Used in biology to describe parasitic relationships between organisms.
Huí蛔
chóng虫
jì寄
shēng生
zài在
rén人
tǐ体
cháng肠
dào道
nèi内
。
Roundworms live as parasites in the human intestinal tract.
Zhè这
zhǒng种
xì细
jūn菌
jì寄
shēng生
zài在
yú鱼
lèi类
de的
tǐ体
biǎo表
。
This bacterium lives parasitically on the surface of fish.
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Tù菟
sī丝
zǐ子
zhuān专
mén门
jì寄
shēng生
zài在
qí其
tā他
zhí植
wù物
shàng上
xī吸
qǔ取
yǎng养
fèn分
。
Dodder specifically parasitizes other plants to absorb nutrients.
verb
to live off others' labor without working; to live as a social parasite
Often used in sociological or economic contexts to describe exploitative lifestyles or classes.
Tā他
bù不
xiǎng想
gōng工
zuò作
，
zhǐ只
xiǎng想
jì寄
shēng生
zài在
fù父
mǔ母
jiā家
lǐ里
。
He doesn't want to work; he just wants to live off his parents.
Jì寄
shēng生
jiē阶
jí级
kào靠
bō剥
xuē削
gōng工
rén人
láo劳
dòng动
wéi为
shēng生
。
The parasitic class lives by exploiting the labor of workers.
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Zhè这
zhǒng种
jì寄
shēng生
shēng生
huó活
ràng让
tā他
shī失
qù去
le了
dú独
lì立
néng能
lì力
。
This parasitic lifestyle caused him to lose his ability to be independent.