贱 (jiàn) - Cheap, inexpensive & lowly, base

贱Tone 4

jiàn ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 贝

嘉健

贱 · jiàn

Cheap, inexpensive;

lowly, base;

humble (self-reference);

worthless;

contemptible.

Cheap, inexpensivelowly, basehumble (self-reference)

Usage highlights

Cheap goodsLow priceHumble personBase and lowlyWorthless lifeSelf

Synonyms

  • 廉— inexpensive, cheap
  • 卑— lowly, humble
  • 鄙— low, mean, vulgar

Antonyms

  • 贵— expensive, noble, valuable
  • 尊— honorable, respected
  • 高— high, elevated

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The price is very cheap (价格很贱).
  • He despises the poor and fawns on the rich (他嫌贫爱富).
  • This is my humble opinion (这是我的贱见).
  • She has a humble background (她出身卑贱).

Collocations

  • Cheap goods(贱货)
  • Low price(贱价)
  • Humble person(贱人)
  • Base and lowly(卑贱)
  • Worthless life(贱命)
  • Self-deprecating term(贱内)

Idioms

  • The noble and the humble cannot be mixed(贵贱不混)
  • Rise from humble origins to wealth and nobility(贱而后贵)
  • Despise the poor and fawn on the rich(嫌贫爱富)
  • Life and death, honor and disgrace(贵贱荣辱)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient Chinese society, '贱' was used to describe low social status, contrasting with '贵' (noble).
  • Used in self-deprecating terms in classical Chinese to show humility, such as '贱内' (my wife) or '贱躯' (my body).
  • In modern usage, it often carries strong negative connotations when referring to people's character or behavior.

FAQ