乞丐

• Pinyin: qǐ gài
• Hanzi breakdown: 乞 = 乙 + 丿 (beg — figure reaching out); 丐 = 一 + 乙 (beggar — pictophonetic)

Meaning

Beggar; mendicant. A person who lives by soliciting money or food from others.

Refers to people living in extreme poverty who beg for survival. Used in social commentary, literature, and historical contexts. Can appear in figurative expressions describing complete destitution.

Examples

1. 街头的乞丐蜷缩在角落里，衣衫褴褛，令人不禁生出恻隐之心。 A beggar on the street curled up in a corner, dressed in rags, stirring people’s compassion.
2. 这部小说通过一个乞丐的视角，深刻描绘了旧社会底层民众的苦难生活。 Through the eyes of a beggar, the novel powerfully depicts the suffering of ordinary people at the bottom of the old society.
3. 尽管境遇艰难，这位老乞丐仍保持着一份难得的尊严与从容。 Despite his hardship, the elderly beggar still maintained a rare sense of dignity and composure.

Usage Guide

Context: society, literature, history

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 社会保障体系的不断完善，使流浪乞丐现象大幅减少。(The continuous improvement of the social security system has significantly reduced the phenomenon of homeless beggars.)
• 他从一个街头乞丐蜕变为成功商人的故事激励了无数人。(His story of transforming from a street beggar into a successful businessman has inspired countless people.)

Don't Say

• 你真是个乞丐 — using 乞丐 as an insult is deeply derogatory; use 节俭/省钱 to describe frugality instead

Origin & History

乞 (to beg) + 丐 (beggar) — both characters relate to begging for subsistence

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal