厭 (yàn) - To loathe, detest, dislike intensely & to be fed up with

厭Tone 4

yàn ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

妍嬿

厭 · yàn

To loathe, detest, dislike intensely;

to be fed up with;

to be weary of;

also can mean to satisfy or satiate (in classical usage).

To loathe, detest, dislike intenselyto be fed up withto be weary of

Usage highlights

To detestTo be weary ofPicky eating / AnorexiaTo be fed up withTo find tiresomeDisgusting

Synonyms

  • 惡— to hate, detest
  • 憎— to detest, abhor
  • 煩— to be annoyed, vexed

Antonyms

  • 愛— to love
  • 喜— to like, be fond of
  • 好— to like, prefer

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I really dislike this kind of music (我厭惡這種音樂).
  • He is tired of his repetitive job (他厭倦了重複的工作).
  • She is disgusted by hypocrisy (她厭惡虛偽).
  • The child is a picky eater (這個孩子厭食).

Collocations

  • To detest(厭惡)
  • To be weary of(厭倦)
  • Picky eating / Anorexia(厭食)
  • To be fed up with(厭煩)
  • To find tiresome(厭膩)
  • Disgusting(討厭)

Idioms

  • To be weary of the world(厭世)
  • To detest the old and cherish the new(厭舊喜新)
  • To be fed up to the back teeth(不厭其煩)
  • To be greedy and never satisfied(貪得無厭)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese, 厭 could also carry the positive meaning 'to satisfy' or 'to be content', as seen in the idiom 貪得無厭 (insatiably greedy).
  • The character's negative connotation of weariness and disgust is dominant in modern usage.
  • The concept of 厭世 (world-weariness) reflects a philosophical or emotional state of being tired of life's struggles.

FAQ