丧 sàng mourning
mourning; mourn; funeral; to lose
How it came to be
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
The oldest form shows a mulberry tree among several mouths: the tree gives the sound and the mouths the meaning.
How it is used
- Two readings. As sàng: to lose/be deprived of: 丧失信心 (sàngshī xìnxīn) lose confidence; 沮丧 (jǔsàng) dejected; 垂头丧气 (chuítóu-sàngqì) crestfallen.
- As sāng: mourning/funeral: 丧事 (sāngshì) funeral affairs. Modern internet slang 丧 (sàng) also means 'demoralized/emo'.