低人一等 (dī rén yī děng) — inferior to others; lower in status or quality; feeling that one is a notch below others

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'a notch below others' — used to describe a subjective feeling of being inferior in status or worth. Usually paired with 觉得 ('feel'), not used for objective ranking.

idiom
inferior to otherslower in status or qualityfeeling that one is a notch below others

Examples

  • ，低人一等，。
    Zài zhè jiā gōng sī, tā zǒng jué de zì jǐ dī rén yī děng, suǒ yǐ gōng zuò shí bù gǎn tí yì jiàn.
    In this company, he always feels inferior to others, so he doesn't dare to raise opinions at work.
  • 低人一等，。
    Tā cóng bù yīn wèi chū shēn pín hán ér dī rén yī děng, fǎn ér gèng jiā nǔ lì fèn dòu.
    She never feels inferior because of her poor background; instead, she works even harder.
  • ，低人一等。
    Shè huì yīng gāi chuàng zào píng děng de jī huì, ràng měi gè rén dōu bù jué dé zì jǐ dī rén yī děng.
    Society should create equal opportunities so that no one feels inferior to others.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

低人lower a person
低dīlower人rénperson
动宾Verb + object
一等one grade
一yīone等děnggrade
偏正Modifier + head

The parts 低人 and 一等 suggest lowering a person by one grade.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénman, person
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī低dī
Same sound today

In 低, the left side 亻 is a person, and the right side 氐 gives the sound; the image is a person lowering or bowing themselves.

Open 低 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì等děng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 竹 shows bamboo strips used for writing and sorting; the bottom 寺 once gave the sound, but now sounds different.

Open 等 →

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