残 cán to injure
to injure; to ruin; to spoil; cruel; disabled; incomplete
How to remember 残: 歹 bare bones + 戋 tiny = to injure. Barefoot in the dark, grandpa steps on the bare bones the dog left, and one tiny splinter is enough to injure his whole holiday.
Component breakdown
残 = 歹 bare bones + 戋 tiny
- 歹 bare bones
- 戋 tiny
Barefoot in the dark, grandpa steps on the bare bones the dog left, and one tiny splinter is enough to injure his whole holiday.
How it is used
- Incomplete/damaged/cruel - 残疾 (cánjí) disabled, 残缺 (cánquē) fragmentary/defective, 残酷 (cánkù) cruel.
- Sense of 'remaining leftover': 残留 (cánliú) residue, 残余 remnants, 残雪 lingering snow.
- 残忍 (cánrěn) = cruel/heartless (of a person's acts); 残酷 = cruel/harsh (of circumstances/reality).
- 摧残 (cuīcán) = to ravage/devastate (physically or mentally).