丑 (chǒu) — ugly
Definition
Single-character adjective for 'ugly,' used for people's looks and everyday objects (a face, clothes, a bag). 难看 is the more colloquial default; 丑 sounds blunter, while 丑陋 and 丑恶 are stronger and often describe behavior or human nature.
adjective
ugly
Easily confused
Examples
- 丑。Wǒ jué de zhè ge bāo hěn chǒu.I think this bag is very ugly.
- 丑。Tā chuān zhuó zhè jiàn chèn shān xiǎn de hěn chǒu.He looks very ugly in this shirt.
- 丑。Tā bù xǐ huan nà jiàn chǒu yī fu.She doesn't like that ugly piece of clothing.
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 醜; 丑 is its simplified writing.
The simplified 丑 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 醜; in others (丑) it is 丑.
Sound part声符shēngfú
酉
酉yǒu醜chǒu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 醜 uses 鬼, a ghost or demon, to show ugliness and 酉 for sound; that shape is about 醜, not about 丑.
Appears in
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