瘦

• Pinyin: shòu
• Hanzi breakdown: 瘦 = 疒 (illness radical) + 叟 (old man, phonetic component)

Meaning

Thin; slim; lean; skinny.

Describes being thin or having little body fat. Can be neutral, complimentary, or concerning depending on context. In Chinese culture, being thin is often seen positively, but 太瘦 (too thin) suggests unhealthy thinness. Also used for lean meat (瘦肉) as opposed to fatty meat.

Examples

1. 她最近瘦了不少，是不是在减肥？ She's lost quite a bit of weight recently — is she on a diet?
2. 买猪肉的时候我喜欢挑瘦一点的。 When buying pork, I like to pick the leaner cuts.
3. 他从小就瘦，怎么吃都长不胖。 He's been thin since childhood — no matter how much he eats, he doesn't gain weight.

Usage Guide

Context: appearance, health, food

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 你瘦了，注意身体啊。(You've lost weight — take care of your health.)
• 这条裤子显瘦。(These pants make you look slimmer.)

Don't Say

• 你很瘦 as a compliment to strangers — commenting on weight can be sensitive; with friends it's more acceptable

Origin & History

Composed of 疒 (illness radical) + 叟 (old man), originally suggesting the thinness associated with illness or old age.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal