寡 guǎ widowed
How to remember 寡: 宀 house + 丆 thumb tack + 且 moreover + 分 divide = widowed. In his quiet house grandpa pins their photo with a thumb tack to the shelf and, moreover, still divides each cake in two, newly widowed.
Component breakdown
寡 = 宀 house + 𪟊
- 宀 house
- 𪟊
- 丆 thumb tack
- 且 moreover
- 分 divide
- 八 eight
- 刀 knife
In his quiet house grandpa pins their photo with a thumb tack to the shelf and, moreover, still divides each cake in two, newly widowed.
How it is used
- Two threads: widowed - 寡妇 (guǎfu) widow, 守寡 (shǒuguǎ) to remain a widow; and few/scant - 寡言 (guǎyán) taciturn, 沉默寡言 (chénmò-guǎyán) reserved.
- 优柔寡断 (yōuróu-guǎduàn) = indecisive; 孤陋寡闻 (gūlòu-guǎwén) = ill-informed.
- 寡 as 'few' contrasts with 众 (zhòng, many): 寡不敌众 (guǎ bù dí zhòng) the few can't beat the many.