遜 (xùn) - to yield & to abdicate

遜Tone 4

xùn ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

遜 · xùn

to yield;

to abdicate;

to retreat;

humble;

modest;

inferior

to yieldto abdicateto retreat

Usage highlights

modest and yieldingto abdicate the throneinferior/pale in comparisontactical retreathumble speechto yield to a sage

Synonyms

  • 谦— modest, humble
  • 让— to yield, to give way
  • 退— to retreat, to withdraw

Antonyms

  • 傲— arrogant, proud
  • 进— to advance, to move forward
  • 争— to contend, to compete

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The king abdicated the throne (逊位).
  • He modestly declined the honor (谦逊地推辞).
  • This product is inferior to that one (比那个产品逊色).
  • The army made a tactical retreat (军队战术逊退).

Collocations

  • modest and yielding(谦逊)
  • to abdicate the throne(逊位)
  • inferior/pale in comparison(逊色)
  • tactical retreat(逊退)
  • humble speech(逊辞)
  • to yield to a sage(逊让)

Idioms

  • Modest and yielding, polite and respectful(谦逊有礼)
  • Not inferior in any way(毫不逊色)
  • Out of arrogance comes loss, out of modesty comes benefit(满招损，谦受益)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial Chinese history, 'abdication' (逊位) referred to an emperor voluntarily yielding the throne, often seen as an ideal transfer of power.
  • The concept of 'modesty' (谦逊) is highly valued in Confucian ethics as a virtue of the superior person.
  • The character embodies traditional values of humility and yielding as positive social behaviors.

FAQ