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自卑 (zì bēi) — low self-esteem; to feel inferior

Definition

Adjective meaning 'to feel inferior, to have low self-esteem' (often paired with 心理, 感, 情结). Its natural opposite in this curriculum set is 自信 ('self-confident').

adjective
low self-esteemto feel inferior

Examples

  • 自卑，。
    Tā zǒng shì gǎn dào zì bēi, bù gǎn zài dà jiā miàn qián shuō huà.
    He always feels self-conscious and doesn't dare to speak in front of others.
  • 自卑。
    Kè fú zì bēi xū yào màn màn jiàn lì zì xìn.
    Overcoming low self-esteem requires gradually building confidence.
  • 自卑，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù yǒu zì bēi xīn lǐ, zǒng jué de bù rú bié rén.
    She has had an inferiority complex since childhood, always feeling not as good as others.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

自zìself
卑bēiinferior

自 ('self') and 卑 ('inferior') combine as the self feeling low, hence low self-esteem.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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

卑 puts 甲 (fan) with 𠂇 (hand), drawing a hand holding a fan, showing a servant.

Open 卑 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Emotions & FeelingsMental Health

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