蠢 (chǔn) - Stupid, foolish, silly & to move slowly or clumsily

蠢Tone 3

chǔn ｜ 21 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

蠢 · chǔn

Stupid, foolish, silly;

to move slowly or clumsily;

(archaic) to wriggle, to squirm like an insect.

Stupid, foolish, sillyto move slowly or clumsily(archaic) to wriggle, to squirm like an insect.

Usage highlights

Stupid pigFoolish ideaStupid thingStupid personIdiotStupid egg

Synonyms

  • 笨— stupid, dull, clumsy
  • 傻— foolish, silly, simple-minded
  • 愚— foolish, stupid (more literary)

Antonyms

  • 聪— clever, intelligent, quick-witted
  • 慧— wise, intelligent
  • 明— bright, clear, intelligent

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • That was a foolish idea (蠢主意).
  • Don't do stupid things (做蠢事).
  • He's acting like an idiot (像个蠢货).
  • The plan was poorly conceived (蠢计划).

Collocations

  • Stupid pig(蠢猪)
  • Foolish idea(蠢主意)
  • Stupid thing(蠢事)
  • Stupid person(蠢人)
  • Idiot(蠢货)
  • Stupid egg(蠢蛋)

Idioms

  • Stupid and stubborn(蠢笨如牛)
  • Clumsy and inept(蠢若木鸡)
  • Foolish and ignorant(蠢头蠢脑)
  • Stupid beyond words(愚不可及)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character originally depicted two insects (春) crawling or wriggling, conveying slow, clumsy movement.
  • Over time, the meaning shifted from physical clumsiness to mental slowness or foolishness.
  • Considered highly derogatory when used to describe people in modern Chinese.
  • Often appears in insults and pejorative terms in contemporary usage.

FAQ