庸庸碌碌 (yōng yōng lù lù) — mediocre and unambitious, with no notable achievements

Definition

A four-character set phrase (成语) describing a person living a plain, unambitious life with no notable achievements — 'mediocre and unremarkable.' Often carries a self-deprecating or regretful tone.

bound form
mediocre and unambitiouswith no notable achievements

Examples

  • 庸庸碌碌。
    Tā bú yuàn yì guò yōng yōng lù lù de yì shēng.
    He doesn't want to live a mediocre and unremarkable life.
  • 庸庸碌碌，。
    Tā jué de zì jǐ yōng yōng lù lù, méi yǒu shén me tè cháng.
    She feels she is ordinary and undistinguished, with no special skills.
  • 庸庸碌碌。
    Hěn duō rén hài pà yōng yōng lù lù dì lǎo qù.
    Many people are afraid of growing old in mediocrity.

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.

庸庸mediocre
庸yōngmediocre庸yōngmediocre
重叠Reduplication
碌碌mediocre
碌lùordinary碌lùordinary
重叠Reduplication

庸庸 and 碌碌 both convey ordinariness, and their pairing intensifies the sense of being mediocre.

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
庚庚gēng
Sound part声符shēngfú
同
同tóng庸yōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

庸 is built from 庚 and 同, with 同 giving the sound. It probably originally meant a large bell.

Open 庸 →

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
庚庚gēng
Sound part声符shēngfú
同
同tóng庸yōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

庸 is built from 庚 and 同, with 同 giving the sound. It probably originally meant a large bell.

Open 庸 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù碌lù
Same sound today

碌 is made of 石 (stone) and 彔, with 彔 giving the sound.

Open 碌 →

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
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù碌lù
Same sound today

碌 is made of 石 (stone) and 彔, with 彔 giving the sound.

Open 碌 →

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