偏狭 (piān xiá) — biased and narrow-minded

Definition

A formal, written term for a narrow, biased mindset — one's views are unfairly limited and intolerant of differences. Stronger and more literary than 偏见 (prejudice), which refers to the bias itself rather than the closed-off way of thinking.

verb
biased and narrow-minded

Examples

  • 偏狭，。
    Tā de sī xiǎng fēi cháng piān xiá, bú yuàn yì jiē shòu xīn guān diǎn.
    His thinking is very biased and narrow-minded, unwilling to accept new ideas.
  • 偏狭。
    Zhè zhǒng piān xiá de tài dù huì yǐng xiǎng tuán duì hé zuò.
    This kind of biased and narrow-minded attitude will affect teamwork.
  • 偏狭。
    Wǒ men bù néng yīn wèi piān xiá ér jù jué bù tóng de yì jiàn.
    We cannot reject different opinions because of bias and narrow-mindedness.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

偏piānbiased
狭xiánarrow

偏 means biased and 狭 means narrow, forming a parallel pair.

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rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
扁
扁biǎn偏piān
Same sound today

偏 combines 亻 (人, a person) with 扁, which gives the sound.

Open 偏 →

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 狹; 狭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
夾
夾jiā狹xiá
Same sound today

The traditional form 狹 pairs 犭 (dog) with 夾 as a sound part; the simplified 狭 is a later shorthand.

Open 狭 →

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