Definition
敷 (fū) has two unrelated senses. The first is 'to apply (ointment, powder) to a surface' — there is no common synonym among the siblings. The second is 'to be sufficient to cover (expenses)'; this is a formal, written sense — for everyday 'enough', use 够 (gòu) or 足够 (zúgòu).
verb
to apply (ointment, face mask, powder, etc.) onto a surfaceto be sufficient to cover (expenses, needs, etc.)
Easily confused
- 放fànglook-aliketo put, to place
- 付fùsound-aliketo pay
- 副fùsound-alike(classifier) for pairs, sets, and facial expressions
- 副fùsound-alikesecondary; auxiliary; vice- (in official titles)
- 幅fúsound-alike(classifier) for paintings, pictures, and textiles (curtains, cloth, etc.)
- 服fúsound-aliketo take (medicine)
- 负fùsound-alike(verb) to bear, to carry (a burden, responsibility, debt)
- 福fúsound-alikegood fortune; happiness; luck
- 扶fúsound-aliketo support with the hand; to help (someone) up; to hold onto (something) for support
- 富fùsound-alikerich, wealthy, abundant
Examples
- 敷。Nǐ xūyào zài shāngkǒu shàng fū yì céng yào gāo.You need to apply a layer of ointment on the wound.
- 敷。Wǒ de gōngzī gānghǎo fū yòng.My salary is just enough to cover expenses.
- 敷。Tā zǐxì de zài huàbù shàng fū sè.He carefully applied color on the canvas.
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