贱 (jiàn) — (adjective) cheap, inexpensive (of goods); (adjective) lowly, despicable, contemptible (of character or status)
Definition
贱 covers two unrelated senses: 'cheap/inexpensive' (slightly dismissive, unlike neutral 便宜) and 'despicable/lowly' in character (stronger moral condemnation than 卑鄙, broader scope than 可恶).
adjective
cheapinexpensive (of goods)lowlydespicablecontemptible (of character or status)
Examples
- 贱，。Zhè jiā diàn de cài yǐ jiàn jià chū shòu, dàn hěn xīn xiān.The dishes in this restaurant are sold at a cheap price, but they are very fresh.
- 贱，。Tā nà fù zuǐ liǎn zhēn jiàn, shuí dōu bú yuàn yì hé tā zuò péng you.His expression was truly despicable; no one wants to be friends with him.
- 贱，。jiàn Xìng zhāng, qǐng duō guān zhào.My humble surname is Zhang, please take care of me.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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