丧 sàng mourning
mourning; mourn; funeral
How it came to be
A mulberry tree with open mouths hung among its branches, people wailing around it for someone gone. Simplifying wore the picture down to eight strokes.
How it is used
- Two readings. As sàng: to lose/be deprived of - 丧失信心 (sàngshī xìnxīn) lose confidence; 沮丧 (jǔsàng) dejected; 垂头丧气 (chuítóu-sàngqì) crestfallen.
- As sāng: mourning/funeral - 丧事 (sāngshì) funeral affairs. Modern internet slang 丧 (sàng) also means 'demoralized/emo'.