====== pínqióng: 贫穷 - Poor, Impoverished, Poverty ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** pínqióng, 贫穷, Chinese for poor, poverty in Chinese, how to say poor in Chinese, pín qióng meaning, what is 贫穷, poverty in China, poor vs qiong, HSK 5 vocabulary.
  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **贫穷 (pínqióng)**, which means "poor," "impoverished," or "poverty." This page explains the deep cultural significance of poverty in China, from historical ideals to modern-day poverty alleviation. Discover the crucial difference between the formal **贫穷 (pínqióng)** and the common slang **穷 (qióng)**, and learn how to use it accurately in sentences about society, economics, and personal background.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** pínqióng
  * **Part of Speech:** Adjective, Noun
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** Lacking sufficient material possessions or income for a person's needs; impoverished.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **贫穷 (pínqióng)** is the formal and serious word for "poverty." Think of it as the word you'd see in a news report, a government document, or a sociological study. While the single character **[[穷]] (qióng)** is used casually to mean "I'm broke," **贫穷** describes a more profound, systemic state of being poor or the societal issue of poverty itself. It carries a heavy weight and is not used lightly.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **贫 (pín):** This character is composed of **分 (fēn)**, meaning "to divide," and **贝 (bèi)**, the symbol for shells, which were ancient currency. The image is of one's money or assets being "divided" away, leading to a state of poverty.
  * **穷 (qióng):** This character shows a person **躬 (gōng)**, "to stoop or bow," inside a cave **穴 (xué)**. It originally depicted someone trapped or cornered in a cave, suggesting being at an end, exhausted, or with nowhere to go. This meaning extended to being financially exhausted or depleted.
  * **Together, 贫穷 (pínqióng)** combines the idea of having one's wealth diminished (贫) with a state of complete exhaustion of resources (穷), creating a powerful and formal term for deep-seated poverty.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
**贫穷 (pínqióng)** is a concept with immense weight in Chinese culture, reflecting a dramatic shift in national values.
Historically, Daoist and some Confucian thought espoused an ideal of being content in poverty (安贫乐道 - ānpínlèdào), valuing spiritual wealth over material possessions. However, the last several decades have been defined by the opposite: a nationwide, government-led war on poverty.
Unlike the Western concept of poverty, which is often framed around individual struggle and opportunity, **贫穷** in modern China is treated as a collective, national challenge. The term is central to the government's narrative of progress, with phrases like **[[扶贫]] (fúpín - to alleviate poverty)** and **[[脱贫]] (tuōpín - to escape poverty)** being ubiquitous in media and policy. This reflects a collectivist approach, where lifting regions and populations out of poverty is a shared national goal and a measure of the government's success. Deng Xiaoping's famous phrase, "To get rich is glorious," marked a definitive turning point, making the elimination of **贫穷** a cornerstone of modern Chinese identity.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**贫穷** is primarily used in formal or serious contexts. You will rarely, if ever, hear someone use it to describe their own temporary lack of cash.
  * **Formal and Written Language:** It is the standard term for poverty in news articles, academic papers, economic reports, and government announcements.
    * //Example: "中国在消除**贫穷**方面取得了巨大成就。" (China has made great achievements in eliminating poverty.)//
  * **Serious Conversation:** When discussing societal problems, a person's difficult upbringing, or the conditions in a particular region, **贫窮** is the appropriate word. It shows you are treating the topic with the gravity it deserves.
  * **Connotation:** It has a strong negative and serious connotation. It implies a significant, often long-term, lack of resources, not just being short on spending money.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 许多孩子因为家庭**贫穷**而无法上学。
    * Pinyin: Xǔduō háizi yīnwèi jiātíng **pínqióng** ér wúfǎ shàngxué.
    * English: Many children cannot go to school due to family poverty.
    * Analysis: Here, **贫穷** is used as a noun ("poverty") to describe the systemic condition of the family that leads to a serious consequence.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 他出生在一个**贫穷**的山区。
    * Pinyin: Tā chūshēng zài yīgè **pínqióng** de shānqū.
    * English: He was born in a poor mountainous region.
    * Analysis: **贫穷** is used as an adjective to describe the economic condition of a whole area. This is a very common and standard usage.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 政府的首要任务之一是消除绝对**贫穷**。
    * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ de shǒuyào rènwù zhī yī shì xiāochú juéduì **pínqióng**.
    * English: One of the government's top priorities is to eliminate absolute poverty.
    * Analysis: This sentence highlights the formal, official use of the word in the context of government policy.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 这部电影讲述了一个在**贫穷**中挣扎的艺术家的故事。
    * Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng jiǎngshùle yīgè zài **pínqióng** zhōng zhēngzhá de yìshùjiā de gùshì.
    * English: This movie tells the story of an artist struggling in poverty.
    * Analysis: "在贫穷中" (zài pínqióng zhōng) means "in poverty," showing its use as an abstract noun.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 他的童年虽然**贫穷**，但充满了快乐。
    * Pinyin: Tā de tóngnián suīrán **pínqióng**, dàn chōngmǎnle kuàilè.
    * English: Although his childhood was impoverished, it was full of happiness.
    * Analysis: This shows **贫穷** used as an adjective to describe a period of life. The "虽然...但..." (suīrán...dàn... - although...but...) structure is very common.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 战争使这个国家陷入了**贫穷**和混乱。
    * Pinyin: Zhànzhēng shǐ zhège guójiā xiànrùle **pínqióng** hé hùnluàn.
    * English: The war plunged the country into poverty and chaos.
    * Analysis: **贫穷** is paired with another abstract noun, "混乱" (hùnluàn - chaos), to describe the dire state of a nation.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 我们不能忽视精神上的**贫穷**。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen bùnéng hūshì jīngshén shàng de **pínqióng**.
    * English: We cannot ignore spiritual poverty.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates a more abstract usage. "精神上的贫穷" refers to a lack of spiritual or intellectual fulfillment, not material wealth.
  * **Example 8:**
    * **贫穷**的根源是复杂的，需要多方面的努力来解决。
    * Pinyin: **Pínqióng** de gēnyuán shì fùzá de, xūyào duō fāngmiàn de nǔlì lái jiějué.
    * English: The root causes of poverty are complex and require multifaceted efforts to solve.
    * Analysis: A perfect example of **贫穷** as a subject of a sentence, used in a formal, analytical context.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 他决心要摆脱**贫穷**，改变自己的命运。
    * Pinyin: Tā juéxīn yào bǎituō **pínqióng**, gǎibiàn zìjǐ de mìngyùn.
    * English: He was determined to escape poverty and change his own destiny.
    * Analysis: "摆脱贫穷" (bǎituō pínqióng) is a common collocation meaning "to break free from poverty."
  * **Example 10:**
    * 全球**贫穷**人口的比例正在下降。
    * Pinyin: Quánqiú **pínqióng** rénkǒu de bǐlì zhèngzài xiàjiàng.
    * English: The proportion of the global poor population is decreasing.
    * Analysis: "贫穷人口" (pínqióng rénkǒu) is a set phrase meaning "the poor population," common in demographics and economics.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **贫穷 (pínqióng) vs. 穷 (qióng):** This is the most critical distinction.
    * **贫穷 (pínqióng):** Formal, serious, abstract. Refers to the state or concept of poverty. Used in writing and serious discussions.
    * **穷 (qióng):** Informal, common, personal. Can mean "poor" but is often used to mean "broke." This is the word you use with friends.
    * **Correct:** "这个月我很**穷**，不能出去吃饭了。" (Wǒ hěn **qióng** - I'm very broke this month.)
    * **Incorrect:** "这个月我很**贫穷**。" (This sounds overly dramatic and strange, as if you've suddenly fallen into systemic, dire poverty.)
  * **"Poor" as in "Low Quality":** In English, we say "a poor excuse" or "poor quality." **贫穷** cannot be used this way. For low quality, use **[[差]] (chà)**.
    * **Incorrect:** 这个产品的质量很**贫穷**。
    * **Correct:** 这个产品的质量很**差**。 (Zhège chǎnpǐn de zhìliàng hěn **chà**.)
  * **"Poor" as in "Unfortunate" (Pity):** To say "You poor thing," you express pity. **贫穷** is not used for this. The correct word is **[[可怜]] (kělián)**.
    * **Incorrect:** 你真**贫穷**。 (This means "You are truly impoverished," which is an insult or a stark observation, not an expression of sympathy.)
    * **Correct:** 你真**可怜**。 (Nǐ zhēn **kělián** - You poor thing / How pitiful.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * **[[穷]] (qióng):** The informal, common, and versatile word for "poor" or "broke."
  * **[[贫困]] (pínkùn):** A very close synonym for **贫穷**, also formal. The character **困 (kùn)** means "trapped" or "in difficulty," adding a nuance of being stuck in poverty.
  * **[[富裕]] (fùyù):** A key antonym meaning "prosperous," "well-to-do," or "affluent."
  * **[[扶贫]] (fúpín):** A crucial modern term meaning "to alleviate poverty" or "poverty alleviation." (扶 = to support).
  * **[[脱贫]] (tuōpín):** Means "to escape poverty" or "to shake off poverty." (脱 = to take off, to escape).
  * **[[贫富差距]] (pínfù chājù):** A noun phrase meaning "the gap between the rich and the poor."
  * **[[小康]] (xiǎokāng):** The concept of a "moderately prosperous society," the societal goal after eliminating absolute poverty.
  * **[[寒酸]] (hánsuān):** An adjective describing someone as "shabby" or "miserable-looking," often as a result of poverty. It focuses more on appearance.