lack

Original meaning: 

crooked

Derived from , but with the line on top slanted to indicate "crooked (i.e. not straight)". The meaning later shifted to "lack".

Evolution

乏 Bronze script Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Bronze script

Late Warring States (~250 BC)
乏 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
乏 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
乏 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

lack; poor; short of; tired

Most common words with 乏
Freq.
Word
Meaning

缺乏

to lack

乏味

tedious

不乏

there is no lack of

乏力

weak

匮乏

to be deficient in sth

Component uses

Meaning component in 3 characters (0 verified)

Sound component in 3 characters (0 verified)

Unknown component in 1 character (0 verified)