驽 (nú) - Inferior horse & jade

驽Tone 2

nú ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 马

柠七

驽 · nú

Inferior horse;

jade;

stupid, dull, incompetent;

metaphorically refers to a person of limited ability or talent.

Inferior horsejadestupid, dull, incompetent

Usage highlights

Inferior horseStupid and dullInferior talentSlow and clumsyStubborn and stupidOld and weak horse

Synonyms

  • 笨— stupid, foolish
  • 蠢— silly, dumb
  • 劣马— inferior horse

Antonyms

  • 聪— clever, intelligent
  • 慧— wise, bright
  • 骏马— fine horse, steed

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is not a stupid person (他不是驽钝的人).
  • This is an old and weak horse (这是一匹驽马).
  • Don't waste your talent (不要驽才).

Collocations

  • Inferior horse(驽马)
  • Stupid and dull(驽钝)
  • Inferior talent(驽才)
  • Slow and clumsy(驽缓)
  • Stubborn and stupid(驽顽)
  • Old and weak horse(驽骀)

Idioms

  • An inferior horse can also travel a thousand miles(驽马十驾)
  • An inferior horse with a dull knife(驽马铅刀)
  • The difference between a fine horse and an inferior one(骐骥与驽骀)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, horses were crucial for transportation and warfare, and '驽' was used to describe horses of poor quality.
  • The term is often used metaphorically in literary contexts to modestly describe one's own abilities or to criticize others' incompetence.
  • It appears in classical texts such as 'Stratagems of the Warring States' and 'Records of the Grand Historian'.

FAQ