驕 (jiāo) - proud & arrogant

驕Tone 1

jiāo ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

健傑

驕 · jiāo

proud;

arrogant;

haughty;

also refers to a fine horse.

proudarroganthaughty

Usage highlights

arrogant and lazyproud and willfularrogant soldieroverbearing and extravagantproud and complacentfine horse

Synonyms

  • 傲— arrogant; proud
  • 倨— haughty

Antonyms

  • 谦— humble; modest
  • 逊— modest; unassuming

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is too proud to admit his mistake (骄傲).
  • The arrogant general lost the battle (骄兵必败).
  • She rode a fine, spirited horse (骄马).
  • The child was spoiled by his grandparents (骄纵).

Collocations

  • arrogant and lazy(骄惰)
  • proud and willful(骄纵)
  • arrogant soldier(骄兵)
  • overbearing and extravagant(骄奢)
  • proud and complacent(骄傲自满)
  • fine horse(骄马)

Idioms

  • An arrogant army is bound to be defeated(骄兵必败)
  • Proud and extravagant, dissolute and lazy(骄奢淫逸)
  • Not arrogant in victory, not discouraged in defeat(胜不骄，败不馁)
  • Become arrogant because of favor(恃宠而骄)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically, '骄' was used to describe fine, strong horses, which were symbols of status and power.
  • In Confucian ethics, '骄' (arrogance) is considered a major character flaw, as it disrupts social harmony.
  • The concept is frequently warned against in classical texts and military strategy, emphasizing humility as a virtue.

FAQ