# 衰

| 衰 | U+8870, &#34928; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8870 |
| ← 衯 [U+886F] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 衱 → [U+8871] |

## Translingual
### Han character

衰 (Kangxi radical 145, 衣+4, 10 strokes, cangjie input 卜田一女 (YWMV), four-corner 0073$_2$, composition ⿴衣⿻口一 or ⿳亠⿻口一𧘇 or ⿻哀一)

#### Derived characters

* 蓑

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 1112, character 14
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 34127
* Dae Jaweon: page 1577, character 21
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3076, character 9
* Unihan data for U+8870

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 衰 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Warring States | Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Chu slip and silk script | Qin slip script | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 蓑 | *sloːl, *sluːl |
| 缞 |
| 衰 | *sʰrol, *srul |
| 榱 | *srul |
Pictogram (象形) — a piece of clothing made from palm fibers to be used as a raincoat (original form of 蓑) (Ji Xusheng, 2004).

### Etymology 1

Compare Khmer រៀវ (riəw, “to diminish; to decrease”), Mizo zuai (“to decline (in diligence, enthusiasm, industry, etc.)”) (Schuessler, 2007).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): shuāi (shuai$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄕㄨㄞ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): seoi$^1$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): sôi
    (Meixian, Guangdong): soi$^1$
* Northern Min (KCR): só
* Eastern Min (BUC): sŏi
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): soe
    (Teochew, Peng'im): suê$^1$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^1$se
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: shuāi
*** Zhuyin: ㄕㄨㄞ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: shuai
*** Wade–Giles: shuai$^1$
*** Yale: shwāi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shuai
*** Palladius: шуай (šuaj)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂu̯aɪ̯⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: seoi$^1$
*** Yale: sēui
*** Cantonese Pinyin: soey$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: sêu$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /sɵy̯⁵⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sôi
*** Hakka Romanization System: soi$^ˊ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: soi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /soi̯²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: soi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /soɪ⁴⁴/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: só
*** Sinological IPA : /so⁵⁴/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: sŏi
*** Sinological IPA : /søy⁵⁵/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: soe
*** Tâi-lô: sue
*** Phofsit Daibuun: soef
*** IPA (Xiamen): /sue⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /sue³³/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /sue⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Taipei): /sue⁴⁴/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /sue⁴⁴/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: suê$^1$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sue
*** Sinological IPA : /sue³³/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai)
*** Wugniu: $^1$se
*** MiniDict: se$^平$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^1$se
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /se⁵³/
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit衰 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /ʂuai⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /ʂuai⁴⁴/ /suai⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /suai²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /ʂuɛ²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /ʂuɛ²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /ʂuai²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /fai²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /fɛ⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /ʂuɛ⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /fɛ³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /ʂuai⁴⁴/ /fai⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /suai⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /suai⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /suai⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /ʂuæ⁴⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /ʂuae³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /ʂue̞²¹/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /suai¹¹/ |
| Jin | Pingyao | /t͡sʰuæ¹³/ /suæ¹³/ |
| Jin | Hohhot | /suɛ³¹/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /se⁵³/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /se̞⁵⁵/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /se̞³³/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /sai³³/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /sɛ³¹/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /so¹¹/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /ɕyai³³/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /sai³³/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | |
| Hakka | Meixian | /soi⁴⁴/ |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /soi²⁴/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /søy⁵³/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /sui⁵⁵/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /søy⁵⁵/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /sue⁵⁵/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /søy⁴⁴/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /so⁵⁴/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /sue³³/ |
| Min | Haikou (Hainanese) | /suai²³/ /sɔi²³/ ～弱 /sue²³/ 倒霉 |
* Middle Chinese: srwij
Rime :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 生 (21) |
| Final (韻) | 脂 (18) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Closed |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 所追切 |
| Baxter | srwij |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ʃˠiuɪ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʃʷᵚi/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ʃiuɪ/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʂjwi/ |
| Li Rong | /ʃjui/ |
| Wang Li | /ʃwi/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʂwi/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | shuāi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | seoi$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*sruj/
    (Zhengzhang): /*srul/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 3/3 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | shuāi |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ srwij › |
| Old Chinese | /*sruj/ |
| English | diminish, decline |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 2/2 |
| No. | 11927 |
| Phonetic component | 衰 |
| Rime group | 微 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 衰 |
| Old Chinese | /*srul/ |

#### Definitions

衰
* to grow weak; to decrease in strength; to decline
    未老先衰 ― wèilǎoxiānshuāi ― to decline in health before becoming old
* (Cantonese, Hakka, Min) to have bad luck
       jan$^4$ seoi$^1$ haang$^4$ lou$^6$ daa$^2$ dou$^2$ tan$^3$ [Jyutping]
       when luck is bad, you can’t even walk straight
    衰足五年 [Cantonese] ― seoi$^1$ zuk$^1$ ng$^5$ nin$^4$ [Jyutping] ― had five years of completely bad luck
* (Cantonese, Hakka) bad; detestable; awful
    咁衰㗎！ [Cantonese] ― gam$^3$ seoi$^1$ gaa$^4$! [Jyutping] ― That's awful!
    咁衰都有！ [Cantonese] ― gam$^3$ seoi$^1$ dou$^1$ jau$^5$! [Jyutping] ― How can it be this awful!
    做衰嘢 [Cantonese] ― zou$^6$ seoi$^1$ je$^5$ [Jyutping] ― to do bad things
    衰人 [Cantonese] ― seoi$^1$ jan$^4$ [Jyutping] ― bad person
    衰婆 [Cantonese] ― seoi$^1$ po$^{4-2}$ [Jyutping] ― bitch
* (Cantonese) to make a grave mistake
    我衰咗啦！ [Cantonese] ― ngo$^5$ seoi$^1$ zo$^2$ laa$^1$! [Jyutping] ― I've made a mistake!
       gam$^1$ ci$^3$ m$^4$ ho$^2$ ji$^5$ zoi$^3$ seoi$^1$ gaa$^3$ laa$^3$! [Jyutping]
       (We) can’t screw it up anymore this time
       From: 1986, 《英雄本色》 (“A Better Tomorrow”)
       ngo$^5$ seoi$^1$ zo$^2$ saam$^1$ nin$^4$, ngo$^5$ dang$^2$ gan$^2$ go$^3$ gei$^1$ wui$^6$, caang$^1$ faan$^1$ hau$^2$ hei$^3$. [Jyutping]
       I had suffered three years of bad luck, I’m waiting for my turn to get everything back. (In context: spent three years in jail)
* (Cantonese, transitive) to mess up (something); to be caught for (wrongdoing)
    你衰咩呀？ [Cantonese] ― nei$^5$ seoi$^1$ me$^1$ aa$^3$? [Jyutping] ― What did you do wrong?
       ngo$^5$ seoi$^1$ bin$^1$ faan$^6$ ze$^1$? [Jyutping]
       What’s my wrongdoing/offence (often with legal implications)?
    衰十一 [Cantonese] ― seoi$^1$ sap$^6$ jat$^1$ [Jyutping] ― to get caught for sex with a minor
    衰販毒／衰贩毒 [Cantonese] ― seoi$^1$ faan$^3$ duk$^6$ [Jyutping] ― to get caught for drug trafficking
* (Cantonese) to suffer from faulty personality traits or habits, or commit minor faults with moderate to significant consequences.
       dou$^1$ hai$^6$ ngo$^5$ seoi$^1$ sam$^1$ jyun$^5$. [Jyutping]
       I had been too kind-hearted/forgiving.
       seng$^4$ jat$^6$ seoi$^1$ ci$^4$ dou$^3$. [Jyutping]
       He messes up all the time for being late.
       ngo$^5$ zau$^6$ hai$^6$ seoi$^1$ zoi$^6$ taai$^3$ leng$^3$ zai$^2$. [Jyutping]
       My wrong is being too handsome.

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 倒霉, 倒運, 晦氣, 背運, 背時 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 倒霉, 背運, 晦氣 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 背興 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 倒霉 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 倒霉 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 倒霉 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 倒霉 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 倒灶 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 倒霉 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 背時, 倒灶 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 倒灶, 背時, 背運 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 倒運 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 背時, 倒灶, 背時倒灶 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 背時, 倒運, 點子低, 背九一 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 背時, 倒灶, 衰 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 晦氣 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 衰, 行衰運, 黑, 當黑, 運滯, 倒霉 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 衰, 行衰運, 當衰, 黑, 當黑, 黑仔, 運滯 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 當衰 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 滯運, 黑 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 運滯, 衰 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 運滯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 運滯, 衰 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 倒霉, 運滯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 衰, 運滯 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 失運 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 滯運 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 行衰運 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 滯運, 衰 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 衰, 衰來, 黑, 黑頸, 滯運, 倒霉 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 唔夠運 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 當衰, 運滯 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 衰 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 倒霉, 倒運, 背時 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 倒灶 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 背時 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 衰 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 衰, 倒運 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 衰 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 衰 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 衰 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 衰 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 衰, 衰漦 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 衰, 衰漦 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 衰, 衰漦 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 衰, 衰漦 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 衰, 衰漦 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 倒霉, 倒運, 倒灶, 背時 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 倒運, 背時 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 背興 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 衰 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 衰, 倒運, 倒灶, 騎背 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 衰, 衰䆀, 衰潲, 衰神, 衰運, 落衰, 歹字運, 歹運, 拍觸衰 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 衰, 衰䆀, 衰潲, 衰運, 歹字運, 歹運, 拍觸衰 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 衰, 衰䆀, 衰潲, 衰運, 落衰, 䆀字運, 拍觸衰 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 衰, 衰䆀, 衰潲, 衰尾, 落衰, 歹運 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 衰, 衰潲 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 衰 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 衰, 衰潲, 衰䆀, 歹命, 歹運, 歹字運 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 衰 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 衰, 唔利市 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 衰 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 衰 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 衰 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 滯運 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 衰 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 倒霉, 觸霉頭, 晦氣 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Songjiang) | 触霉頭 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Jiading) | 觸霉頭, 倒運 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 霉, 觸霉頭, 霉氣, 背時, 背霉 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 触霉頭 |
| Wu | Wuxi | 触霉頭 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 倒霉, 倒運, 倒灶 |
| Wu | Shaoxing | 倒灶 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 倒運, 晦氣 |
| Wu | Lishui | 倒灶 |
| Wu | Jinyun | 倒楣, 倒灶 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 倒霉, 霉運, 倒灶, 倒運 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 背時, 走蹩腳 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 背時, 倒霉 |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 惡 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 壞 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 壞, 賴 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 壞 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 壞 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 壞 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 壞, 孬, 賴 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 瞎, 壞 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 壞 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 壞, 拐 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 壞 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 壞 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 壞, 弊, 衰 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 壞, 衰 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 壞 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 衰 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 衰 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 壞 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 壞 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Meilin) | 衰 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 賴, 壞 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 壞, 獰 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 呆, 否 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 歹, 䆀 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Nan'an | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Shishi | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 䆀 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 䆀, 孬 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 䆀, 歹 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Datian | 歹 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 孬 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 孬 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 孬, 歹 |
| Southern Min | Puning | 孬 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 歹, 孬 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 㾀 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 㾀 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 㾀 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 㾀 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 壞, 恘 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 壞, 恘 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 歪, 推扳, 嘸做 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 毛 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 壞, 拐 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 壞, 拐 |

##### Antonyms

* (antonym(s) of “Cantonese: disagreeable”): 好 (hou2)

##### See also

* (Cantonese: disagreeable): 曳 (jai5), 惡／恶 (ok3)

#### Compounds

* 三衰六旺
* 不衰
* 世衰道微 (shìshuāidàowēi)
* 中衰
* 乖衰
* 佗衰
* 佗衰家
* 假好衰
* 先盛後衰 / 先盛后衰
* 再衰三竭
* 力乏兵衰
* 力衰
* 半衰期 (bànshuāiqī)
* 口衰
* 唱衰 (chàngshuāi)
* 大嚿衰
* 就衰 (jiùshuāi)
* 帶衰 / 带衰
* 影衰
* 心力衰竭 (xīnlì shuāijié)
* 心臟衰竭 / 心脏衰竭 (xīnzàng shuāijié)
* 拍觸衰 / 拍触衰
* 振衰起敝
* 攞嚟衰 / 𫽋嚟衰
* 早衰 (zǎoshuāi)
* 𣍐曉衰 / 𫧃晓衰
* 未老先衰 (wèilǎoxiānshuāi)
* 樣衰 / 样衰
* 樣衰衰 / 样衰衰
* 歷久不衰 / 历久不衰 (lìjiǔbùshuāi)
* 河陽衰鬢 / 河阳衰鬓
* 物極則衰 / 物极则衰
* 物盛則衰 / 物盛则衰
* 當衰 / 当衰
* 盛不忘衰
* 盛必慮衰 / 盛必虑衰
* 盛極必衰 / 盛极必衰
* 盛衰 (shèngshuāi)
* 盛衰利害
* 盛衰榮枯 / 盛衰荣枯
* 盛衰榮辱 / 盛衰荣辱 (shèngshuāiróngrǔ)
* 盛衰相乘
* 盛衰興廢 / 盛衰兴废
* 看衰 (kànshuāi)
* 睇衰
* 神經衰弱 / 神经衰弱 (shénjīng shuāiruò)
* 積衰新造 / 积衰新造
* 紅衰翠減 / 红衰翠减
* 興衰 / 兴衰 (xīngshuāi)
* 色衰愛寢 / 色衰爱寝
* 色衰愛弛 / 色衰爱弛
* 落衰
* 衰三代
* 衰世
* 衰亡 (shuāiwáng)
* 衰人
* 衰仔
* 衰佬
* 衰公
* 衰到貼地 / 衰到贴地
* 衰十一
* 衰嘢
* 衰塌
* 衰女
* 衰女包
* 衰婆
* 衰尾
* 衰尾道人
* 衰弱 (shuāiruò)
* 衰微 (shuāiwēi)
* 衰收尾
* 衰敗 / 衰败 (shuāibài)
* 衰旺
* 衰暮
* 衰替
* 衰朽 (shuāixiǔ)
* 衰格
* 衰樣 / 衰样
* 衰歇
* 衰潲
* 衰相
* 衰神
* 衰䆀
* 衰竭 (shuāijié)
* 衰老 (shuāilǎo)
* 衰落 (shuāiluò)
* 衰謝 / 衰谢
* 衰變 / 衰变 (shuāibiàn)
* 衰退 (shuāituì)
* 衰運 / 衰运 (shuāiyùn)
* 衰邁 / 衰迈
* 衰頹 / 衰颓 (shuāituí)
* 衰顏 / 衰颜
* 衰颯 / 衰飒
* 衰鬼
* 過盛必衰 / 过盛必衰
* 避衰
* 門衰祚薄 / 门衰祚薄
* 陰盛陽衰 / 阴盛阳衰 (yīnshèngyángshuāi)

#### Descendants

* → English: suay
* → Indonesian: soe
* → Thai: ซวย (suai)

### Etymology 2

Schuessler (2007) reconstructs the Old Chinese minimally as *k-sroi, treating it as 衰 (OC *srui) (etymology 1) with the initial *k.

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cuī (cui$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄨㄟ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): ceoi$^1$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): chhûi
    (Meixian, Guangdong): cui$^1$
* Southern Min (Teochew, Peng'im): sui$^1$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cuī
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄨㄟ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cuei
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻui$^1$
*** Yale: tswēi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsuei
*** Palladius: цуй (cuj)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: ceoi$^1$
*** Yale: chēui
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsoey$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cêu$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɵy̯⁵⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhûi
*** Hakka Romanization System: cui$^ˊ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: cui$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰu̯i²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: cui$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰuɪ⁴⁴/
* Southern Min
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: sui$^1$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sui
*** Sinological IPA : /sui³³/
* Middle Chinese: tsrhjwe
Rime :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 初 (19) |
| Final (韻) | 支 (14) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Closed |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 楚危切 |
| Baxter | tsrhjwe |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡ʃʰˠiuᴇ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʈ͡ʂʰʷᵚiɛ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡ʃʰiuɛ/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʈ͡ʂʰjwiə̆/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡ʃʰjue/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡ʃʰǐwe/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʈ͡ʂʰwie̯/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chuāi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ceoi$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰ]roj/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰrol/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 2/3 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cuī |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tsrhjwe › |
| Old Chinese | /*[tsʰ]roj/ |
| English | reduce |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 11926 |
| Phonetic component | 衰 |
| Rime group | 歌 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 衰 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰrol/ |

#### Definitions

衰
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to reduce; to decrease in order

### Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cuī (cui$^1$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄨㄟ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): ceoi$^1$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): chhûi
    (Meixian, Guangdong): cui$^1$
* Southern Min (Teochew, Peng'im): sui$^1$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cuī
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄨㄟ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cuei
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻui$^1$
*** Yale: tswēi
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsuei
*** Palladius: цуй (cuj)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: ceoi$^1$
*** Yale: chēui
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsoey$^1$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cêu$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɵy̯⁵⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhûi
*** Hakka Romanization System: cui$^ˊ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: cui$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰu̯i²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: cui$^1$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰuɪ⁴⁴/
* Southern Min
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: sui$^1$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sui
*** Sinological IPA : /sui³³/
* Middle Chinese: tsrhjwe
Rime :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| Initial (聲) | 初 (19) |
| Final (韻) | 支 (14) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Closed |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 楚危切 |
| Baxter | tsrhjwe |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡ʃʰˠiuᴇ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ʈ͡ʂʰʷᵚiɛ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡ʃʰiuɛ/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ʈ͡ʂʰjwiə̆/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡ʃʰjue/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡ʃʰǐwe/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ʈ͡ʂʰwie̯/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | chuāi |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ceoi$^1$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[s.r̥]ˤruj/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰrol/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 1/3 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cuī |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tshwoj › |
| Old Chinese | /*[s.r̥]ˁruj/ |
| English | mourning clothes |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 衰 |
| Reading # | 1/2 |
| No. | 11926 |
| Phonetic component | 衰 |
| Rime group | 歌 |
| Rime subdivision | 3 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 衰 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰrol/ |

#### Definitions

衰
* Alternative form of 縗 / 缞 (cuī, “a type of mourning garment made of sackcloth”)
* (archaic, borrowing) Alternative form of 崔 (cuī, “a surname”)
** Used in 衰子/title for 崔杼. (As found in bronze pot inscription.)

#### Compounds

* 斬衰 / 斩衰
* 齊衰 / 齐衰

### Etymology 3

* For pronunciation and definitions of 衰 – see 蓑 (“raincoat woven from straw or palm fiber; etc.”). (This character is an ancient form of 蓑).

### References

* “衰”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
* Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A03712
* zi.tools
* 承繼與拓新：漢語語言文字學研究 （上下卷合輯）: page 514, page 515 An origin of 衰 as borrowed form of 崔

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Jōyō kanji)
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

#### Readings

* Go-on: せ (se)、し (shi)、すい (sui, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: さい (sai)、し (shi)、すい (sui, Jōyō)
* On: さ (sa)
* Kun: おとろえる (otoroeru, 衰える, Jōyō)

#### Compounds

* 老衰(ろうすい) (rōsui)

## Korean
### Hanja

衰 • (soe, choe, sa) (hangeul 쇠, 최, 사, revised soe, choe, sa, McCune–Reischauer soe, ch'oe, sa, Yale soy, choy, sa)
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

衰: Hán Nôm readings: suy, thôi, thoai
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.