傻 (shǎ) - Foolish, silly, stupid & simple-minded

傻Tone 3

shǎ ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

三姗

傻 · shǎ

Foolish, silly, stupid;

simple-minded;

naive;

lacking intelligence or common sense.

Foolish, silly, stupidsimple-mindednaive

Usage highlights

Foolish personSilly melonAct stupidFoolish appearanceSilly and naiveFoolish and stubborn

Synonyms

  • 笨— stupid, clumsy
  • 蠢— foolish, silly
  • 呆— slow-witted, dull

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Don't be foolish (别傻了).
  • That was a silly mistake (犯了个傻错误).
  • He acts simple-minded sometimes (他有时显得傻乎乎的).
  • She looked at me with a naive expression (她傻傻地看着我).

Collocations

  • Foolish person(傻子)
  • Silly melon (傻瓜) - term of endearment or mild insult
  • Act stupid(装傻)
  • Foolish appearance(傻样)
  • Silly and naive(傻乎乎)
  • Foolish and stubborn(傻倔)

Idioms

  • Pretending to be confused(装傻充愣)
  • Foolish person has foolish blessings(傻人有傻福)
  • Stunned and foolish(呆傻痴愣)
  • Foolish and muddle-headed(傻头傻脑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used affectionately in relationships and among friends as a term of endearment (e.g., 小傻瓜)
  • In Chinese culture, being '傻' can sometimes be seen as endearing rather than purely negative
  • The concept of '傻人有傻福' (fools have fortune) reflects a folk belief that simple-minded people may be blessed with good luck

FAQ