生疏

shēngshū

adjective HSK 7-9 #19,010

Meanings

1 unfamiliar
2 rusty
3 out of practice
4 not close (of a relationship)

Characters

raw; unfamiliar; strange

sparse; distant; neglected

Examples

HSK 4

多年不见，两人之间变得有些生疏。

Duōnián bújiàn, liǎng rén zhījiān biàn de yǒuxiē shēngshū.

After not seeing each other for years, the two of them became somewhat distant.

HSK 5

好久没弹钢琴了，手指都生疏了。

Hǎojiǔ méi tán gāngqín le, shǒuzhǐ dōu shēngshū le.

I haven't played the piano in a long time -- my fingers are rusty.

Tips

usage

生疏 covers two related meanings: (1) rusty/out of practice with a skill, and (2) distant/unfamiliar in a relationship. Both share the idea of something that was once close or familiar fading with time.

Stroke Order

生 shēng

疏 shū