啬 sè miserly
miserly; stingy; thrifty
How it came to be
A grain store with an ear of wheat drawn over the top. Grain going in and nothing coming out: the character is a full store with the door shut.
How it is used
- Bound; essentially only appears in 吝啬 (lìnsè, stingy/miserly) - 他很吝啬 (tā hěn lìnsè) he's a real skinflint.
- 吝啬 is a character flaw (mean with money), stronger and more negative than 节约 (jiéyuē, thrifty), which is a virtue.