要死

yào

Traditional: 要死

#1883 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

terribly, to death (intensifier), about to die

Word origin

A compound of 要 (yào, about to, will) and 死 (sǐ, to die), literally about to die, used colloquially to exaggerate a degree.

Origin
compound
Root
要 (yào, about to) + 死 (sǐ, to die)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 要

Stroke order for 死

Examples

I am tired to death.

It is terribly hot today.

She was nervous to death.

This question is dreadfully difficult.

I am starving to death.

要死 (yào sǐ) literally means about to die, but in speech it works as a strong intensifier, as in 累得要死 (tired to death). It follows 得 after an adjective to push the degree to an extreme.

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This word is part of lesson 38.