废墟 fèixū ruins
How to remember 废墟: 废 to terminate + 墟 high mound = ruins.
Characters
How it is used
- Ruins - the rubble left after destruction - 地震后成了一片废墟 (dìzhèn hòu chéng le yí piàn fèixū) after the quake it was reduced to ruins.
- Emotional, often used of war, disaster, or abandonment; 一片废墟 is the standard collocation.
- Contrast 遗址 (yízhǐ), the historical site/relic of ancient ruins; 废墟 stresses recent devastation.
Example sentences
- 这些废墟年代久远。 Zhèxiē fèixū niándàijiǔyuǎn.These ruins are ancient.
- 这座城市成为了一片废墟。 Zhèzuò chéngshì chéngwéi le yīpiàn fèixū.The city fell into ruins.
- 暴风雨过后，他们的房子成了废墟。 Bàofēngyǔ guòhòu, tāmen de fángzi chéng le fèixū.After the hurricane, their house was a wreck.