贫穷

貧窮

pínqióng

adjective HSK 7-9 #7,760

Meanings

1 poor; impoverished; poverty-stricken

Characters

poor; destitute; exhausted

Both characters mean 'poor' — together they emphasize the state of poverty.

Examples

他出生在一个贫穷的家庭。

Tā chūshēng zài yīgè pínqióng de jiātíng.

He was born into a poor family.

贫穷不是一种罪过。

Pínqióng bùshì yī zhǒng zuìguò.

Poverty is not a crime.

政府帮助贫穷地区发展经济。

Zhèngfǔ bāngzhù pínqióng dìqū fāzhǎn jīngjì.

The government helps impoverished areas develop their economy.

Tips

usage

贫穷 is more formal and literary than 穷 (qióng) alone. In everyday speech, people usually just say 穷. 贫穷 is preferred in news, essays, and formal discussions about poverty.

Stroke Order

贫 pín

穷 qióng