陋 (lòu) - humble & lowly

陋Tone 4

lòu ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 阝

林伦

陋 · lòu

humble;

lowly;

mean;

vulgar;

narrow;

uncultured;

ugly;

plain;

simple

humblelowlymean

Usage highlights

humble dwellingbad habit/customsimple and crudevulgar/coarsenarrow and shallowugly appearance

Synonyms

  • 卑— low; humble
  • 贱— lowly; cheap
  • 粗— coarse; rough

Antonyms

  • 华— magnificent; splendid
  • 美— beautiful
  • 雅— elegant; refined

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He lives in a humble dwelling (陋室).
  • We should abandon outdated customs (陋习).
  • The room is small and simple (简陋).
  • She dislikes vulgar language (粗陋).

Collocations

  • humble dwelling(陋室)
  • bad habit/custom(陋习)
  • simple and crude(简陋)
  • vulgar/coarse(粗陋)
  • narrow and shallow(浅陋)
  • ugly appearance(丑陋)

Idioms

  • Living in a humble lane without changing one's joy(陋巷不改其乐)
  • Abandoning outdated customs and fostering new practices(革除陋习)
  • Ugly duckling(丑小鸭 - though not directly using 陋, related concept)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian tradition, living in humble circumstances while maintaining moral integrity was praised, as seen in descriptions of Yan Hui.
  • The character often appears in discussions about eliminating backward customs and promoting civilization.
  • It carries negative connotations but can be used positively in contexts praising simplicity and modesty.

FAQ