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不孝 (bù xiào) — unfilial

Definition

Literally 'not filial' — describes failing to respect, care for, or obey one's parents or elders, a serious moral failing in Chinese culture. Pairs with 孝顺 (its opposite, 'filial') to describe conduct toward parents.

adjective
unfilial

Examples

  • 不孝。
    Tā jué de zì jǐ duì fù mǔ bù xiào.
    He feels that he is unfilial to his parents.
  • 不孝。
    bù xiào De xíng wéi huì ràng fù mǔ hěn shāng xīn.
    Unfilial behavior will make parents very sad.
  • 不孝。
    Tā yīn wèi bù xiào ér shòu dào jiā rén de pī píng.
    He was criticized by his family for being unfilial.

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.

不bùnot
孝xiàofilial

不 “not” negates 孝 “filial piety,” giving the sense of being unfilial.

Characters in this word

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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

  • 耂耂lǎoan old man with long hair, bent over
  • 子子zǐa child

孝 puts 耂, an old man with long hair, bent over, above 子, a child, to show filial care between generations.

Open 孝 →
Appears in
Chinese Culture & CustomsFamily & Kinship

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