褻 (xiè) - to profane, to blaspheme & to treat with disrespect

褻Tone 4

xiè ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

想信

褻 · xiè

to profane, to blaspheme;

to treat with disrespect;

obscene, vulgar, indecent;

intimate, familiar (in a disrespectful way).

to profane, to blasphemeto treat with disrespectobscene, vulgar, indecent

Usage highlights

to blaspheme, to profaneobscene languagevulgar, indecentto treat with disrespectfamiliar, intimatecommon clothing

Synonyms

  • 瀆— to disrespect, to profane
  • 污— to defile, to stain
  • 穢— filthy, obscene

Antonyms

  • 敬— to respect, reverence
  • 尊— to honor, to revere
  • 聖— sacred, holy

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • That joke was quite vulgar (褻瀆的).
  • He committed blasphemy against the sacred text (褻瀆神聖).
  • They were on familiar terms, bordering on disrespectful (褻近).
  • The temple was desecrated by vandals (褻瀆).

Collocations

  • to blaspheme, to profane(褻瀆)
  • obscene language(褻語)
  • vulgar, indecent(褻狎)
  • to treat with disrespect(褻慢)
  • familiar, intimate (in a disrespectful way)(褻近)
  • common clothing(褻服)

Idioms

  • To treat with disrespect, to blaspheme(褻瀆神明)
  • To play with, to treat lightly(褻玩不恭)
  • Vulgar and frivolous behavior(褻狎無禮)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Confucian culture, maintaining proper boundaries and respect (禮 li) is crucial; 褻 represents the violation of these boundaries.
  • The character carries strong negative moral judgment, associated with impurity and violation of sacred or social norms.
  • Historically used in contexts involving disrespect toward deities, elders, or sacred objects/spaces.

FAQ