鄙 (bǐ) - Lowly, vulgar, despicable & rustic, uncultured

鄙Tone 3

bǐ ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

鄙 · bǐ

Lowly, vulgar, despicable;

rustic, uncultured;

humble, modest (self-deprecating);

my (humble self);

to despise, look down upon.

Lowly, vulgar, despicablerustic, unculturedhumble, modest (self-deprecating)

Usage highlights

Despise, look down onVulgar, lowRustic, unculturedHumble opinionHumble personDespicable person

Synonyms

  • 卑— low, inferior
  • 贱— lowly, cheap
  • 俗— vulgar, common

Antonyms

  • 贵— noble, precious
  • 雅— elegant, refined
  • 尊— honorable, respected

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He despises poor people (鄙视穷人).
  • This is a vulgar joke (鄙俗的笑话).
  • In my humble opinion (鄙见), we should proceed carefully.
  • He comes from a remote rural area (鄙野之地).

Collocations

  • Despise, look down on(鄙视)
  • Vulgar, low-class(鄙俗)
  • Rustic, uncultured(鄙陋)
  • Humble opinion(鄙见)
  • Humble person(鄙人)
  • Despicable person(鄙夫)

Idioms

  • Rich and noble cannot lead to dissipation, poverty and humble station cannot make one swerve from principle, and power and force cannot make one bend(富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈)
  • To despise someone(鄙夷不屑)
  • Shallow and vulgar(鄙俚浅陋)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to a small city or outlying area, hence acquired meanings of 'rustic' and 'uncultured'.
  • Used in classical Chinese as a humble self-reference (鄙人) meaning 'your humble servant'.
  • In Confucian context, being '鄙' (vulgar/uncultured) was considered opposite to the ideal of being cultured and refined.

FAQ