粗鄙 (cū bǐ) — vulgar, coarse

Definition

Literary/formal adjective for 'vulgar, coarse' in speech, behavior, or habits. Much stronger and more written than everyday 低俗; typically describes a person's overall character (粗鄙之人) rather than a single joke.

adjective
vulgarcoarse

Examples

  • 粗鄙，。
    Tā de yán xíng shí fēn cū bǐ, ràng rén fǎn gǎn.
    His words and actions are very vulgar and off-putting.
  • 粗鄙。
    Zhè zhǒng cū bǐ de xiào hua bú shì hé zài zhèng shì chǎng hé jiǎng.
    This kind of coarse joke is not suitable for formal occasions.
  • ，粗鄙。
    Tā chū shēn pín hán, dàn cóng wèi zhān rǎn cū bǐ zhī qì.
    He came from a poor background but never acquired any vulgar habits.

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.

粗cūcoarse
鄙bǐvulgar

粗 and 鄙 both convey roughness or lowliness, so the combined sense is coarse and vulgar.

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě粗cū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

粗 pairs 米 (rice), which points to its meaning, with 且, which gives a clue to its sound.

Open 粗 →

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

  • 啚啚bǐborder town
  • 邑邑yìcity

鄙 began as 啚, a form for border town. It later adds 邑, a city, beside it.

Open 鄙 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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