下作 (xià zuō) — low-down, mean, obscene, dirty

Definition

Vulgar, low-down, obscene — describes a person's words, behavior, or character. Stronger and cruder than 恶心; more about moral baseness than physical disgust.

adjective
low-downmeanobscenedirty

Examples

  • 下作。
    Tā zhè ge rén zhēn xià zuō.
    This person is really low.
  • 下作。
    Bú yào shuō nà me xià zuō de huà.
    Don't say such obscene words.
  • 下作。
    Zhè zhǒng xíng wéi tài xià zuō le.
    This kind of behavior is too mean.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

下xiàlow
作zuòconduct

下 gives low or base, and 作 names conduct or behavior; together they mean low-down, mean conduct.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

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