虚弱

• Pinyin: xū ruò
• Hanzi breakdown: 虚 = 虍 + 业 (hollow/empty); 弱 = 弓 + 弓 (two weak bows — weak)

Meaning

Weak; feeble; frail. Describing a state of physical or psychological weakness, often due to illness, exhaustion, or malnutrition.

Used in medical and everyday contexts for physical frailty. Can also describe institutional or positional weakness (国力虚弱 = national weakness). Implies a temporary or recoverable condition more often than 羸弱.

Examples

1. 手术后她身体十分虚弱，医生建议她卧床静养至少两周以恢复体力。 After the surgery she was very weak, and the doctor advised her to stay in bed and rest for at least two weeks to regain her strength.
2. 长期营养不良导致儿童身体虚弱，免疫系统难以抵御常见疾病的侵袭。 Long-term malnutrition leaves children weak, and their immune systems struggle to fend off common illnesses.
3. 在连续谈判了十二个小时之后，双方代表均已精疲力竭，精神上也显得格外虚弱。 After twelve straight hours of negotiations, both delegations were completely exhausted and looked especially worn down mentally as well.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, health, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 老人在高烧退去之后仍感到十分虚弱，家人特地为他熬制了滋补汤品帮助恢复。(The elderly man still felt very weak after his high fever broke, so his family specially prepared nourishing soup to aid his recovery.)
• 体质虚弱的人在换季时期应特别注意保暖，避免因受凉而引发感染。(People with a frail constitution should take special care to stay warm during seasonal transitions to avoid infections caused by catching a chill.)

Don't Say

• 虚弱的建筑 — 虚弱 applies to living beings or abstract strength; for structurally weak buildings use 脆弱 or 不牢固

Origin & History

虚 (empty/hollow) + 弱 (weak) — emptied of strength

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal