POOR    貧窮貧

LACK SUFFICIENT PROPERTY FOR a GOOD LIFE.
MISERABLEPOVERTY-STRICKENPENNILESSMONEYLESSIMPOVERISHEDLOW-INCOMENECESSITOUSIMPECUNIOUSINDIGENTNEEDYDESTITUTEPAUPERIZEDUNABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEETWITHOUT A SOUINSOLVENTIN DEBTWITHOUT A CENT (TO ONE'S NAME)INFORMAL (FLAT) BROKEHARD UPCLEANED OUTSTRAPPEDFORMAL PENURIOUS
Old Chinese Criteria
1. The current general word for poverty is pín 貧 (ant. fù 富 "rich"), but the term does not in general refer to transitory poverty. 2. Qióng 窮 (ant. fù 富 "rich") refers to an extreme state of destitution, which may, however, be transitory, and the word may also refer not so much to poverty as such as marked lack of expected success, professional failure (ant. dá 達 ); and the word may also refer to persons without regular means of support such as widows and orphans. 3. Fá 乏 (ant. yù 裕 "abundantly supplied") refers to a shortage in a certain commodity or in a certain specified group of commodities. 4. Kùn 困 (ant.* kuān 寬 "in comfortable economic circumstances") refers to poverty as constituting serious hardship. 5. Yuē 約 (ant. chuò 綽 "be abundantly supplied") refers to mild poverty or straightened circumstances. 6. Jué 絕 refers to temporary poverty viewed as the result of a sudden change of circumstances. 7. Jié 竭 refers a state of extremely low supply that has come about through a gradual change in circumstances. 8. Jiǒng 窘 (ant. jǐ 給 "be sufficiently supplied") is a rare word referring to a general state of run-down destitution.
Modern Chinese Criteria
貧窮 貧 窮 貧困 窮困 困窮 清貧 食貧 居貧 貧乏 窮乏 空乏 貧寒 清寒 寒素 寒苦 寒微 寒乞 窮苦 貧苦 赤貧 清苦 貧賤 貧窶 竭蹶 (lit, obs) refers to a state of complete destitution. 亡命之徒 refers to a person who has lost all hope of success by regular means, a desperado. rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／
Hyponym
  • TRAMP　POOR so as to LACK an ENDURING HOME AND OFTEN so as to NEED to OFFEND the LAW IN-ORDER-TO LIVE. (anc: 8/0, child: 0)
Antonym
  • RICHPOSSESS MUCH PROPERTY.
See also
  • DISTRESSFEELING that one's SELF:own SITUATION IS INTENSELY BAD.
Hypernym
  • LACK　SITUATION OF NOT HAVING, OR NOT to BEING-IN the UNIVERSE. (anc: 6/0, child: 48)
  • SITUATION　RELATION in which MANY HUMANS, FEATURES OR THINGS EXIST TOGETHER OR INTERACT. (anc: 5/0, child: 11)
  • RELATION　FEATURE of TWO OR MORE THINGS TOGETHER. (anc: 4/0, child: 15)
  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 11.52

  • De differentiis ( DIFFERENTIAE I) p. 56

    353. Ex lib. X Etymolog., littera M. Potius legendum videtur: Misellum viventem adhuc, miserum mortuum.

    ]

    353. Inter Miserum et misellum. Miserum viventem adhuc dicimus, misellum mortuum.

    57

    MISERABILIS, MISERANDUS

    354. Etymolog. lib. X, littera M.

    ]

    354. Inter Miserandum et miserabilem. Miserabilis est cui misereri possumus, miserandus cui misereri debemus.

    138

    EGESTAS, PAUPERTAS

    185. Epitheton Virgilianum, turpis egestas.

    ]

    185. Inter Egestatem et paupertatem. Quod egestas pejor est quam paupertas, paupertas enim potest esse honesta, nam egestas semper turpis est.

    446. Fest., dict. Pauperies; ex quo forte scribendum, paupertas est damn. quod quadrupes facit.

    ]

    446. Inter Pauperiem et paupertatem, Pauperies damnum est, paupertas ipsa conditio.

    139 PAUPERIES, PAUPERTAS

  • Lateinische Synonyme und Etymologien ( DOEDERLEIN 1840) p.

    POVERTY

    paupertas denotes poverty only as narrowness of means, in conseuqence of which one must economize.

    inopia refers to galling poverty, in consequence of which one suffers want, for objective reasons so that one cannot help onself.

    egetas refers to penury subjectively, when a person feels want.

    mendicitas refers to absolute poverty in consequence of which one must beg or might have to beg.

  • “荀子”單音節形容詞同義關係研究 ( HUANG XIAODONG 2003) p. 244

  • Anthologia sive Florilegium rerum et materiarum selectarum ( LANGIUS 1631) p.

    MISERIA

    PAUPERTAS

  • Lateinische Synonymik ( MENGE) p. 289

  • Dictionnaire culturel en langue francaise ( REY 2005) p. 3.1465

  • 王力古漢語字典 ( WANG LI 2000) p. 862

    貧，窮

    11. Ko3ng Yi2ngda2 孔穎達: 細言窮困於貧。A person without regular means of support is qio2ng 窮, and this may indeed refer to proper destitution, but the word may also refer to a temporary passing state of deprivation or an impasse, and this kind of poverty may be relative to expected affluence and thus not really poverty. Pi2n 貧 refers to the generally permanent status of someone of very limited means of subsistence, and the word cannot refer to a person who has come on hard times but is still rich by general standards as set of the class of really poor people. WL does not get to the nerve of the distinction.

  • 中國文化背景八千詞 Zhongguo wenhua beijing ba qian ci ( WU SANXING 2008) p. 222ff

  • SYNONYMES FRANÇOIS, LEURS DIFFÉRENTES SIGNIFICATIONS, ET LE CHOIX QU'IL EN FAUT FAIRE Pour parler avec justesse ( GIRARD 1769) p. 1.111.79

    PAUVRETE.INDIGENCE.DISETTE.BESOIN.NECESSITE

  • Handbook of Greek Synonymes, from the French of M. Alex. Pillon, Librarian of the Bibliothèque Royale , at Paris, and one of the editors of the new edition of Plaché's Dictionnaire Grec-Français, edited, with notes, by the Rev. Thomas Kerchever Arnold, M.A. Rector of Lyndon, and late fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge ( PILLON 1850) p. no.353

  • New Dictiornary of the History of Ideas, 6 vols. ( HOROWITZ 2005) p.

  • Bibliographisches Handbuch zur Sprachinhaltsforschung. Teil II. Systematischer Teil. B. Ordnung nach Sinnbezirken (mit einem alphabetischen Begriffsschluessel): Der Mensch und seine Welt im Spiegel der Sprachforschung ( FRANKE 1989) p. 120A

    • Words (35 items)

    貧  pín OC: brɯn MC: bin 68 Attributions

    The current general word for poverty is pín 貧 (ant. fù 富 "rich"), but the term does not in general refer to transitory poverty.

      Word relations
    • Inconsist: 樂/DELIGHT The equally current lè 樂 (ant. āi 哀 "grief") adds to yuè 悅 the dimensions of practical indulgence, psychological and often philosophical depth, and - very often - a dimension of joy that can be shared and appreciated by others, and that is typically lasting if not permanent. See ENJOY
    • Ant: 富/RICH The general word for wealth is fù 富 (ant. pín 貧 "poor"), and the word has a remarkably wide range of syntactic roles.
    • Epithet: 氓 / 氓 / 萌/PEOPLE Méng 氓/萌 (ant.* shì mín 士民 "citizens") refers specifically to the common people belonging to the lower echelons of society.
    • Contrast: 苦/DISTRESS Kǔ 苦 and the much rarer xīn 辛 (ant. lè 樂 "be in a joyful state") refer to a lasting objective state of distress caused by identifiable external conditions.
    • Contrast: 窮/DISTRESS Qióng 窮 (ant. tōng 通 "have a way out from a difficult situation") refers to a form form of distress as something from which it is impossible or hard to escape.
    • Assoc: 乏/POOR Fá 乏 (ant. yù 裕 "abundantly supplied") refers to a shortage in a certain commodity or in a certain specified group of commodities.
    • Assoc: 困/DISTRESS The most representative current general word for distress is probably kùn 困 (ant. ān 安 "be in a good state"), although the group of words discussed here is selected on singularly problematic grounds.
    • Assoc: 窮/POOR Qióng 窮 (ant. fù 富 "rich") refers to an extreme state of destitution, which may, however, be transitory, and the word may also refer not so much to poverty as such as marked lack of expected success, professional failure (ant. dá 達); and the word may also refer to persons without regular means of support such as widows and orphans.
    • Assoc: 賤/HUMBLE Jiàn 賤 (ant. 貴 "objectively of high standard, but also personally and subjectively judged to deserve this high status") typically adds to the notion of objectively judged low status that of subjectively appreciated moral decrepitude.

      Syntactic words
    • nabsocialpoverty, the state of poverty
    • v[adN]nonreferentialthe poor
    • vadNpoor
    • vadV(starting) from a state of being poorLZ
    • vi0there is poverty
    • vichangebecome poor
    • vigraded(of families or states etc.) have very little to live on; (of persons or of states) be poor; be impoverished 甚貧
    • vipsychologicalfeel impoverishedCH
    • vt+prep+Ninchoativebecome poor because of NDS
    • vtoNcausativecause to be poor
    • vtoNpassive causative: be made poorLZ
    貧窮  pín qióng OC: brɯn ɡʷɯŋ MC: bin guŋ 20 Attributions

      Syntactic words
    • NPab{N1=N2}stativepoverty
    • NP{N1=N2}plurthe impoverished, the destitute
    • VPadNpoor
    • VPibe in any way impoverished; be highly imoverished
    窮  qióng OC: ɡʷɯŋ MC: guŋ 12 Attributions

    Qióng 窮 (ant. fù 富 "rich") refers to an extreme state of destitution, which may, however, be transitory, and the word may also refer not so much to poverty as such as marked lack of expected success, professional failure (ant. dá 達); and the word may also refer to persons without regular means of support such as widows and orphans.

      Word relations
    • Epithet: 巷/STREET The general term for the streets of a compact settlement of any kind is xiàng 巷.
    • Assoc: 乏/POOR Fá 乏 (ant. yù 裕 "abundantly supplied") refers to a shortage in a certain commodity or in a certain specified group of commodities.
    • Assoc: 匱/POOR
    • Assoc: 貧/POOR The current general word for poverty is pín 貧 (ant. fù 富 "rich"), but the term does not in general refer to transitory poverty.
    • Assoc: 賤/HUMBLE Jiàn 賤 (ant. 貴 "objectively of high standard, but also personally and subjectively judged to deserve this high status") typically adds to the notion of objectively judged low status that of subjectively appreciated moral decrepitude.

      Syntactic words
    • nabsocialSHI: state of destitution
    • v[adN]nonreferentialthe poor, the destitute
    • vadNpoor, characteristic of the poorLZ
    • visuffier dire poverty, be destitute
    乏  fá OC: bob MC: bi̯ɐp 9 Attributions

    Fá 乏 (ant. yù 裕 "abundantly supplied") refers to a shortage in a certain commodity or in a certain specified group of commodities.

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 貧/POOR The current general word for poverty is pín 貧 (ant. fù 富 "rich"), but the term does not in general refer to transitory poverty.
    • Assoc: 絕/POOR Jué 絕 refers to temporary poverty viewed as the result of a sudden change of circumstances.
    • Assoc: 匱/POOR
    • Assoc: 窮/POOR Qióng 窮 (ant. fù 富 "rich") refers to an extreme state of destitution, which may, however, be transitory, and the word may also refer not so much to poverty as such as marked lack of expected success, professional failure (ant. dá 達); and the word may also refer to persons without regular means of support such as widows and orphans.

      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]the destitute, the needy; the indigent
    • viMENG: be destitute; be indigent
    • vtoNZUO: suffer a shortage of, lack
    匱  guì OC: ɡruds MC: gi 7 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 乏/LACK Fá 乏 (ant. zú 足 "have enough of") refers to the insufficiency of something needed or the absence of supplies.
    • Assoc: 乏/POOR Fá 乏 (ant. yù 裕 "abundantly supplied") refers to a shortage in a certain commodity or in a certain specified group of commodities.
    • Assoc: 餓/HUNGRY È 餓 refers to famine as a serious condition threatening the lives of the persons involved.
    • Assoc: 窮/POOR Qióng 窮 (ant. fù 富 "rich") refers to an extreme state of destitution, which may, however, be transitory, and the word may also refer not so much to poverty as such as marked lack of expected success, professional failure (ant. dá 達); and the word may also refer to persons without regular means of support such as widows and orphans.

      Syntactic words
    • visubject=humansuffer shortages, be in straights; suffer want 匱餓
    • vt+prep+Nsuffer shortages because of NDS
    貧乏  pín fá OC: brɯn bob MC: bin bi̯ɐp 6 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VP[adN]nonreferentialthe poor and needy
    • VPiintensitivebe quite destitute; be completely indigent
    匱乏  guì fá OC: ɡruds bob MC: gi bi̯ɐp 4 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiintensitivebe quite poor, be very poor
    • VPtoNcausativecause (oneself) to be poor
    困乏  kùn fá OC: khuuns bob MC: khuo̝n bi̯ɐp 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPisuffer want > be in trouble and indigent, be poor
    褊小  biǎn xiǎo OC: penʔ smewʔ MC: piɛn siɛu 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiintensitivenarrow and small, idiom.: poor
    約  yuē OC: qplewɡ MC: ʔi̯ɐk 3 Attributions

    Yuē 約 (ant. chuò 綽 "be abundantly supplied") refers to mild poverty or straightened circumstances.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 泰/RICH
    • Oppos: 樂/DELIGHT The equally current lè 樂 (ant. āi 哀 "grief") adds to yuè 悅 the dimensions of practical indulgence, psychological and often philosophical depth, and - very often - a dimension of joy that can be shared and appreciated by others, and that is typically lasting if not permanent. See ENJOY

      Syntactic words
    • nabstativetight circumstances; impoverished circumstances, straitened circumstances; difficulties
    • vilive in straightened circumstances, be fairly poor
    不足  bù zú OC: pɯʔ tsoɡ MC: pi̯ut tsi̯ok 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NP{vt{NEG}+V(.adN)}plurthose, who are short of means for living or production
    儉  jiǎn OC: ɡromʔ MC: giɛm 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vibe poor
    寒  hán OC: ɡaan MC: ɦɑn 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadNpoor 寒士 "poor scholar; poor gentleman"
    貧困  pín kùn OC: brɯn khuuns MC: bin khuo̝n 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VP[adN]nonreferentialthe destitute and the afflicted
    • VPibe poor
    瘠  jí MC: dzjek OC: dzeɡ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vibe poorly provided, suffer deficiencyLZ
    空  kòng OC: khooŋs MC: khuŋ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vifigurativeEMPTY> be destitute, be in a state of poverty
    窶  jù OC: ɡloʔ MC: gi̯o 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nabfeaturestate of poverty, feature of poverty
    • v[adN]poor bastard
    • viZZ 1060: only of persons: have very little to live on, be needy
    絕  jué OC: dzod MC: dziɛt 2 Attributions

    Jué 絕 refers to temporary poverty viewed as the result of a sudden change of circumstances.

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 乏/POOR Fá 乏 (ant. yù 裕 "abundantly supplied") refers to a shortage in a certain commodity or in a certain specified group of commodities.

      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]N=humanthe destitute, the poor
    • vibe poor, be destitute
    困窮  kùn qióng OC: khuuns ɡʷɯŋ MC: khuo̝n guŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabstativedire poverty
    貧虛  pín MC: bin -- OC: brɯn -- 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VP[adN]the poor and destituteCH
    貧餓  pín è OC: brɯn ŋaals MC: bin ŋɑ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPibe so poor as to have not enough to eat
    窮乏  qióng fá MC: gjuwng bjop OC: ɡʷɯŋ bob 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPidestitute, wantingLZ
    胥靡  xū mǐ MC: sjo mjeX OC: sqa mralʔ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNcompletely destituteLZ
    無財  wú cái OC: ma sɡɯɯ MC: mi̯o dzəi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NP[adN]those without means; the needy
    乏匱  fá guì OC: bob ɡruds MC: bi̯ɐp gi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPabstativestate of poverty, indigence
    空窮  kōng qióng OC: khooŋ ɡʷɯŋ MC: khuŋ guŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPibe destitute
    寡  guǎ OC: kʷraaʔ MC: kɣɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]nonreferentialone who has little of something
    不給  bù jǐ OC: pɯʔ krub MC: pi̯ut kip 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NP{vt{NEG}+V(.adN)}plurthose, who are short of means for living or production
    乏絕  fá jué OC: bob dzod MC: bi̯ɐp dziɛt 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VP[adN]nonreferentialthe indigent, those who lack and are cut off from what they need
    紃屨  xún jù MC: zwin kjuH OC: sɢʷun klos 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPadN(wearing hemp-made shoes >) poor, of a humble originLZ
    耗  hào OC: hmoows MC: hɑu 0 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Ant: 息/FLOURISH Xí 息, zhí 殖, and fān 蕃 refer specifically to the flourishing of flora and fauna.
    • Ant: 豐/RICH
    • Assoc: 衰/WEAK Shuāi 衰 (ant. shèng 盛 "strong and flourishing") refers to the process of weakening that attends any kind of decline.
    • Assoc: 飢/HUNGRY The most common current and general word for insufficiency of food supplies is probably jī 飢 (ant. bǎo 飽 "have eaten enough"), and this word refers to any such insufficiency, temporary or lasting, serious or minor. Presumably, the word can also refer to insufficiency of food among animals.
    • Assoc: 饑/HUNGRY Jī 饑 (NOT ANCIENTLY HOMOPHONOUS WITH 飢 in ancient Chinese), and the rarer jín 饉 as well as the very rare qiàn 歉 refer to insufficiency of food as a result of bad harvest.

      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]nonreferentialthe indigent
    困  kùn OC: khuuns MC: khuo̝n 0 Attributions

    Kùn 困 (ant.* kuān 寬 "in comfortable economic circumstances") refers to poverty as constituting serious hardship.

      Syntactic words
    • visuffer acute hardship; LY, MENG 6B15: feel in trouble; SHU, pangeng: feel distress
    微  wēi OC: mɯl MC: mɨi 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vibe poor; be of humble origins
    窘  jiǒng OC: ɡrunʔ MC: gin 0 Attributions

    Jiǒng 窘 (ant. jǐ 給 "be sufficiently supplied") is a rare word referring to a general state of run-down destitution.

      Syntactic words
    • viZZ 1268: be in straights; be hard pressed; be in a precarious situation
    • vtoNcausativeexpose somebody to hardship
    竭  jié OC: ɡad MC: gi̯ɐt 0 Attributions

    Jié 竭 refers a state of extremely low supply that has come about through a gradual change in circumstances.

      Syntactic words
    • nabchangeimpoverishment
    • viimpoverished, exhausted