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愤世嫉俗 (fèn shì jí sú) — cynical toward society and the world; misanthropic; loathing the ways of the world

Definition

A strong, formal idiom meaning to despise the world and its ways — a deep, often bitter cynicism toward society as a whole, stronger than everyday 'cynical'.

idiom
cynical toward society and the worldmisanthropicloathing the ways of the world

Examples

  • 愤世嫉俗，。
    Tā zhè ge rén zǒng shì fèn shì jí sú, jué de shè huì tài hēi àn le.
    He is always cynical, thinking that society is too dark.
  • 愤世嫉俗，。
    Bié nà me fèn shì jí sú ma, shì jiè shàng hái shì yǒu hěn duō měi hǎo de shì wù.
    Don't be so cynical — there are still many beautiful things in the world.
  • 愤世嫉俗。
    Zhè zhǒng fèn shì jí sú de tài dù ràng tā zài gōng zuò zhōng hěn nán gēn tóng shì xiāng chǔ.
    This cynical attitude makes it very hard for him to get along with colleagues at work.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

愤世detest the world
愤fèndetest世shìworld
动宾Verb + object
嫉俗detest worldly ways
嫉jíhate俗súworldly ways
动宾Verb + object

愤世 (detest the world) and 嫉俗 (detest worldly ways) combine to express cynicism toward society.

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 憤; 愤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
賁
賁bì憤fèn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 憤 pairs 忄 (heart) with 賁, which gives the sound; the simplified 愤 is a later shorthand.

Open 愤 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 世 →

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
女女nǚ
Sound part声符shēngfú
疾
疾jí嫉jí
Same sound today

The shape 嫉 combines 女 as the meaning part and 疾 as the sound part.

Open 嫉 →

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rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
谷
谷gǔ俗sú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

俗 is built from 亻, a person, and 谷, which gives the sound; it refers to customs of people.

Open 俗 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

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