decline; wane; decay
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to decline; to wane; to be on the wane
literaryOriginally the title of a poem in the Book of Songs (《诗经·邶风》), later used to describe the decline of a state or aristocratic family; now generally refers to the decline of anything. Literary register.
Jiā家
dào道
shì式
wēi微
，
yǐ已
shì是
sān三
dài代
méi没
yǒu有
chū出
guò过
jìn进
shì士
le了
。
The family fortune has declined, and no one has passed the imperial examination for three generations.
Zhì制
zào造
yè业
rì日
qū趋
shì式
wēi微
，
nián年
qīng轻
rén人
fēn纷
fēn纷
zhuǎn转
xiàng向
fú服
wù务
yè业
。
The manufacturing industry is gradually declining as young people turn to the service sector.
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Zhè这
ge个
xué学
pài派
zài在
èr二
shí十
shì世
jì纪
hòu后
qī期
yǐ已
jīng经
shì式
wēi微
le了
。
This school of thought had already declined by the late twentieth century.
Shì式
wēi微
de的
guì贵
zú族
jiē阶
céng层
jiàn渐
jiàn渐
shī失
qù去
le了
zhèng政
zhì治
yǐng影
xiǎng响
lì力
。
The declining aristocracy gradually lost its political influence.