to rot or decay; rotten; decomposed, typically of wood or fibrous materials

immortal; eternal; lasting forever; specifically used in reference to fame, spirit, or a legacy that will never fade

old and useless; decrepit and behind the times

(of one's reputation, spirit, or achievements) to be passed down through generations and never fade; to enjoy eternal glory or be remembered forever

rotten wood; decayed timber

To crush something already in decay; often used to describe a powerful force easily destroying a weak opponent or a task that is extremely easy to accomplish

(literary) old and useless; senile and feeble

(idiom) literally "rotten wood cannot be carved," meaning a person is so worthless or stubborn that they cannot be taught or improved; used to describe someone who is beyond help or lacks any potential

to decay or become rotten; to go bad through rotting

rotten; decayed; decomposed

decayed and rotten; to be decomposed or ruined

deadwood; refers to a senile or sick person, or someone who is old and useless; also describes weak and powerless people

The three ways to distinguish oneself for posterity through [[立德|立德|li4 de2]], [[立功|立功|li4 gong1]], and [[立言|立言|li4 yan2]].

(idiom) to change something rotten into something magical; to turn waste material into something of value; to make good use of something useless to achieve unexpected results

to have one's name passed down for generations to come; to enjoy eternal fame

one's name or reputation will be passed down to future generations forever

Extremely perilous situation, like using rotten ropes to drive a galloping chariot; typically used to describe a state of constant danger or great risk

to break rotten wood; to smash something easily or sweep away all resistance with overwhelming force

rotten wood cannot be carved; a person is so worthless or stubborn that they cannot be educated or reformed

rotten wood cannot be carved; a metaphor for a person who is too dull or corrupted to be educated, or a situation that has deteriorated beyond repair

(idiom) Rotten wood and dirty soil; used to describe a worthless person who is beyond help or things that are completely useless. Derived from the [[论语|論語|lun2 yu3]] describing a student who was too lazy to be taught.

Metaphor for a person who is beyond help or a situation that is so far gone that it cannot be repaired; (originally) rotten wood and a wall made of dung

to decay and be eaten by worms; to rot and be infested with wood-boring insects

(literary) old and useless; senile and decrepit

withered and rotten; dried up and decayed

The roots rot and the branches wither; used to describe how a thing will fall apart and perish if its foundation is lost or ruined.

grain in the granaries has turned red with age and the cords for threading coins have rotted away; used to describe a time or land of great plenty and prosperity

to be old, decayed, and of no practical use to anyone

The ropes used to string coins together have rotted away and the grain in the granary has spoiled; used to describe extreme abundance or wealth

Literary idiom describing extreme riches, literally meaning coin strings have rotted and grain has turned stale from long storage.

decaying; rotten; decrepit