乏
destitution, scarce, limited
Readings
On'yomi
- ボウ
Kun'yomi
- とぼ.しい
- とも.しい
Meaning
乏 centers on a state of severe lack: destitution, scarcity, or being limited in resources. The meanings all point to not having enough.
Most common words using 乏
20 of 46- 貧乏びんぼうN2
poverty-stricken; destitute; poor; penurious
- 乏しいとぼしいN2
meagre; meager; scarce; limited; destitute; hard up; lacking; scanty; poor
- 貧乏人びんぼうにんN1
poor person; the poor
- 欠乏けつぼうN1
deficiency; insufficiency; shortage; lack; want; dearth; scarcity
- 貧乏神びんぼうがみ
god of poverty
- 欠乏症けつぼうしょう
deficiency disease (e.g. protein, vitamin, etc.)
- 貧乏性びんぼうしょう
parsimonious spirit; tendency to be frugal; inclination to scrimp and save
- 器用貧乏きようびんぼう
jack of all trades, master of none
- 貧乏くじびんぼうくじ
short end of the stick; short straw; unlucky number; blank; bad bargain
- 窮乏きゅうぼうN1
poverty; destitution; privation; indigence; penury
- 耐乏たいぼう
austerity; voluntary privation
- ビタミン欠乏症ビタミンけつぼうしょう
vitamin deficiency disease; avitaminosis; hypovitaminosis
- 乏しきとぼしき
poverty
- 乏しくなるとぼしくなる
to get scarce; to run short
- 乏尿ぼうにょう
oliguria
- 乏精子症ぼうせいししょう
oligozoospermia; oligospermia
- 困苦欠乏こんくけつぼう
hardships and privations
- 困苦窮乏こんくきゅうぼう
hardships and privations
- 大漁貧乏たいりょうびんぼう
impoverishment of fishermen because of a bumper catch; decline in fishermen's income caused by the sharply lower fish prices as a result of an overabundant catch
- 学者貧乏がくしゃびんぼう
good scholars are seldom rich
Study
Etymology
乏 is thought to derive from an inverted form of 正 (correct, upright), suggesting a reversal or lack of correctness, which extended to scarcity and destitution. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The top stroke 丿 looks like a single drop falling onto an empty container 之. Picture a nearly dry well with only a few drops left: scarcity and destitution.
Reading mnemonic
For ボウ, imagine a bare cupboard with only a single bow-tie pasta left inside: bow -> ボウ, and the scarcity is clear.