shěng

眚

Character · Noun

eye disease; calamity; fault

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 7 examples
1.

noun

opacity of the cornea; leukoma; cataract

archaic

Classical term for a white opacity or nebula on the eye, often referring to cataracts.

Mù目
yǒu有
shěng眚
 ，
bù不
néng能
shì视
wù物
 。

His eyes have a white opacity and cannot see.

Gǔ古
dài代
yī医
shū书
chēng称
bái白
nèi内
zhàng障
wéi为
shěng眚
 。

Ancient medical texts referred to cataracts as shěng.

2.

noun

calamity; disaster; ill omen

archaic

Refers to natural disasters or abnormal phenomena interpreted as heavenly warnings in classical texts.

Tiān天
jiàng降
shěng眚
yú于
bāng邦
guó国
 。

Heaven sent calamities down upon the state.

Zāi灾
shěng眚
liú流
xíng行
 ，
mín民
bù不
liáo聊
shēng生
 。

Disasters and calamities spread, and the people had no means to live.

3.

noun

fault; error; mistake

archaic

Commonly used in the classical idiom 不以一眚掩大德 (not to let one fault obscure great virtue).

Bù不
yǐ以
yī一
shěng眚
yǎn掩
dà大
dé德
 。

Do not obscure great virtue for the sake of one small fault.

Xiǎo小
shěng眚
kě可
róng容
 ，
dà大
nì逆
nán难
shù恕
 。

Small faults may be tolerated, but great treason is hard to forgive.

Show 1 more example
Cǐ此
qí其
shěng眚
yě也
 。

This is his fault.