屈尊 (qū zūn) — condescendingly (formal, courtly)

Definition

A formal, courtly adverb meaning someone of higher status 'deigns to' do something beneath them. Used to honor — or mock — a superior's action as a generous favor.

adverb
condescendingly (formal, courtly)

Examples

  • 屈尊。
    Tā qū zūn qián lái cān jiā wǒ men de huì yì.
    He condescended to come to our meeting.
  • 屈尊。
    Zhè wèi jiào shòu qū zūn wèi běn kē shēng jiǎng kè.
    This professor condescended to lecture undergraduate students.
  • 屈尊。
    Zǒng jīng lǐ qū zūn qīn zì jiē jiàn le wǒ men.
    The general manager condescended to receive us in person.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

屈qūbend
尊zūnhonor

“屈” means bend and “尊” means honor, suggesting bending one's honor downward, i.e. condescending.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尾尾wěitail
Sound part声符shēngfú
出
出chū屈qū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

屈 was built from 出 for sound and 尾 for tail; the tail part later changed into the top of 屈.

Open 屈 →

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

The shape combines 寸 (hand) and 酋 (wine), showing a hand offering a wine vessel to express respect; some forms show two hands instead.

Open 尊 →

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