Meaning and Usage
The word "累" (lěi) primarily means "tired" or "exhausted" in everyday conversation, describing physical or mental fatigue. It is commonly used to express how someone feels after work, exercise, or stressful situations.
Literal and Extended Meanings
Besides describing tiredness, "累" can also mean "to accumulate" or "to pile up," especially in formal or written contexts. This sense is often seen in phrases like "累积" (accumulate) and relates to things like pressure, problems, or fatigue building up over time.
Common Collocations
- 累得 + result clause: Indicates the degree of tiredness causing a certain result (e.g., "累得说不出话来" - so tired that one cannot speak).
- 很累: A common way to say "very tired."
- 累积: To accumulate, often used in formal contexts.
Usage Notes
When using "累" to describe tiredness, it is often followed by degree adverbs like "很" or result complements. The accumulation meaning is less common in spoken language and more frequent in written or technical contexts. Avoid confusing "累" with "累赘" (redundant) or other similar-sounding words.
Tone and Register
"累" is neutral and widely used in both casual and formal speech when referring to tiredness. The accumulation meaning tends to appear in more formal or academic texts.