丑态百出 (chǒu tài bǎi chū) — to behave in a ridiculous or revolting manner; to act like a buffoon through repeated embarrassing actions

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'to behave ridiculously and repeatedly show one's ugly side' — 百出 emphasizes the behavior happening many times, not just once. Used to sharply condemn someone's loss of composure or dignity.

idiom
to behave in a ridiculous or revolting mannerto act like a buffoon through repeated embarrassing actions

Examples

  • ，丑态百出，。
    Tā zài jù huì shàng hē zuì le, chǒu tài bǎi chū, ràng suǒ yǒu rén dōu hěn gān gà.
    He got drunk at the party and behaved in all sorts of embarrassing ways, making everyone very awkward.
  • 丑态百出，。
    Nà ge yǎn yuán zài jìng tóu qián chǒu tài bǎi chū, wán quán bú gù zì jǐ de xíng xiàng.
    That actor acted like a buffoon in front of the camera, completely disregarding his own image.
  • ，丑态百出，。
    Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng lǚ cì fàn guī, chǒu tài bǎi chū, zuì hòu bèi qǔ xiāo le zī gé.
    He repeatedly fouled during the match, behaving disgracefully, and was ultimately disqualified.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

丑态ugly attitudes
丑chǒuugly态tàiattitude
偏正Modifier + head
百出appear in many ways
百bǎihundred出chūappear
偏正Modifier + head

丑态 (ugly attitudes) 百出 (appear in many ways) together suggest ridiculous behavior.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 醜; 丑 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 丑 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 醜; in others (丑) it is 丑.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鬼鬼guǐghost, demon
Sound part声符shēngfú
酉
酉yǒu醜chǒu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 醜 uses 鬼, a ghost or demon, to show ugliness and 酉 for sound; that shape is about 醜, not about 丑.

Open 丑 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
太
太tài态tài
Same sound today

态 is made of 太, which gives the sound, and 心 (heart).

Open 态 →

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
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →

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