媸 (chī) - Ugly, homely — describes unattractive physical appearance, particularly

媸Tone 1

chī ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

媸 · chī

Ugly, homely — describes unattractive physical appearance, particularly of women.

Ugly, homely — describes unattractive physical appearance, particularly

Usage highlights

Beauty and uglinessDistinguish beauty from uglinessUgly appearanceHomely faceUgly and beautifulCannot distinguish beauty from ugliness

Synonyms

  • 丑— ugly (more common and direct)
  • 陋— homely, plain

Antonyms

  • 妍— beautiful, pretty (direct antonym in the compound 妍媸)
  • 美— beautiful
  • 丽— pretty, beautiful

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She was considered homely in her youth (年少貌媸).
  • The story contrasts beauty and ugliness (妍媸对比).
  • He didn't discriminate based on appearance (不辨妍媸).

Collocations

  • Beauty and ugliness(妍媸)
  • Distinguish beauty from ugliness(辨妍媸)
  • Ugly appearance(貌媸)
  • Homely face(容媸)
  • Ugly and beautiful(媸妍)
  • Cannot distinguish beauty from ugliness(不辨妍媸)

Idioms

  • Beauty and ugliness are clearly distinguished(妍媸毕露)
  • Cannot tell beautiful from ugly(不辨妍媸)
  • The contrast between beauty and ugliness(妍媸异同)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Most commonly appears in the fixed compound 妍媸 (yán chī), meaning 'beautiful and ugly' or 'good and bad'.
  • Primarily used in classical Chinese and literary contexts, rarely in modern spoken language.
  • Often appears in texts discussing aesthetics, judgment, or moral character versus appearance.

FAQ