庸 (yōng) - Mediocre & ordinary

庸Tone 1

yōng ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

樱咏

庸 · yōng

Mediocre;

ordinary;

commonplace;

to need;

to employ;

used in historical contexts to refer to labor service.

Mediocreordinarycommonplace

Usage highlights

Mediocre talentCommonplace sayingVulgar opinionMediocrityNo needCorvée labor

Synonyms

  • 平— ordinary, common
  • 凡— common, ordinary
  • 常— common, ordinary

Antonyms

  • 杰— outstanding, heroic
  • 优— excellent, superior
  • 奇— extraordinary, unusual

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He has a mediocre talent (庸才).
  • This is a commonplace saying (庸言).
  • The task requires no special effort (无庸赘述).
  • He was conscripted for corvée labor (服庸役).

Collocations

  • Mediocre talent(庸才)
  • Commonplace saying(庸言)
  • Vulgar opinion(庸论)
  • Mediocrity(平庸)
  • No need(无庸)
  • Corvée labor(庸役)

Idioms

  • Mediocre and incompetent(庸庸碌碌)
  • Mediocre men holding high positions(庸夫俗子)
  • To talk nonsense(庸人自扰)
  • To state the obvious(毋庸讳言)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian thought, '庸' represents the 'Golden Mean' or doctrine of the mean (中庸), a central virtue.
  • Historically used in the context of corvée labor systems in imperial China.
  • Often carries a negative connotation of mediocrity and lack of distinction in modern usage.

FAQ