贱骨头 (jiàn gǔ tou) — a contemptible person; a worthless wretch; (colloquial) someone who likes to be humiliated or abused; a glutton for punishment

Definition

A coarse insult meaning 'worthless wretch' — accuses someone of being servile or enjoying mistreatment. Stronger and more contemptuous than a plain 混蛋; do not use in formal contexts.

noun
a contemptible persona worthless wretch(colloquial) someone who likes to be humiliated or abuseda glutton for punishment
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 贱骨头，。
    Tā zhēn shì gè jiàn gǔ tou, bié rén yuè mà tā tā yuè gāo xìng.
    He's really a glutton for punishment — the more others scold him, the happier he gets.
  • 贱骨头，。
    Nǐ zhè zhǒng jiàn gǔ tou, gēn běn bú pèi dé dào zūn zhòng.
    A worthless wretch like you doesn't deserve any respect at all.
  • 贱骨头，。
    Bié bǎ zì jǐ dāng jiàn gǔ tou, gāi zhēng qǔ de jiù yào zhēng qǔ.
    Don't treat yourself like a doormat — fight for what you deserve.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

贱jiànlowly
骨头bone
骨gǔbone头tóusuffix
后缀Suffix

贱 (lowly) + 骨头 (bone) -> a person of lowly bones.

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 賤; 贱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèi
Sound part声符shēngfú
戔
戔jiān賤jiàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 賤 uses 貝 to carry the meaning and 戔 for the sound; the simplified 贱 is a later shorthand.

Open 贱 →

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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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