寡廉鲜耻 (guǎ lián xiǎn chǐ) — shameless and corrupt; lacking any sense of integrity or shame

Definition

A strong written idiom meaning 'utterly shameless, with no sense of integrity.' It paints a person or act as corrupt and depraved—far harsher than saying someone is simply 没礼貌 or 不诚实.

idiom
shameless and corruptlacking any sense of integrity or shame

Examples

  • 寡廉鲜耻，。
    Zhè xiē guān yuán guǎ lián xiǎn chǐ, jìng rán tān wū le nà me duō gōng kuǎn.
    These officials are shameless and corrupt—they embezzled so much public money.
  • ，寡廉鲜耻。
    Tā wèi le lì yì bù zé shǒu duàn, zhēn shì guǎ lián xiǎn chǐ.
    He stops at nothing for profit—truly shameless and devoid of integrity.
  • 寡廉鲜耻，。
    Zhè zhǒng guǎ lián xiǎn chǐ de xíng wéi, shòu dào le shè huì gè jiè de qiǎn zé.
    This kind of shameless and corrupt behavior has been condemned by all sectors of society.

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.

寡廉lacking integrity
寡guǎlacking廉liánintegrity
动宾Verb + object
鲜耻lacking shame
鲜xiānlacking耻chǐshame
动宾Verb + object

寡 and 鲜 mean lacking, while 廉 is integrity and 耻 is shame; together they describe shamelessness.

Characters in this word

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 頁頁yèhead

The form 寡 pairs 宀, a house, with 頁, a head: one head in a house, alone.

Open 寡 →

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
广广guǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
兼
兼jiān廉lián
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

廉 pairs 广 with 兼; 兼 supplies the sound.

Open 廉 →

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 鮮; 鲜 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
魚魚yúfish
Sound part声符shēngfú
羴
羴shān鮮xiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鮮 pairs 魚 (fish) with 羴, which gives the sound; this note is about 鮮, not 鲜.

Open 鲜 →

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
耳耳ěr
Sound part声符shēngfú
止
止zhǐ耻chǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

耻 is written with 耳 (ear) on the left and 止 on the right. Here 止 gives the sound, while 耳 is the meaning part.

Open 耻 →

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