残 cán to injure
to injure; to ruin; to spoil; cruel; disabled; incomplete
How to remember 残: 歹 wicked + 戋 tiny = to injure. Walking in the dark without slippers, grandpa steps on the bone the wicked dog left, and one tiny splinter is enough to injure his whole holiday.
Component breakdown
残 = 歹 wicked + 戋 tiny
- 歹 wicked
- 戋 tiny
Walking in the dark without slippers, grandpa steps on the bone the wicked 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).