粗鄙 (cū bǐ) — vulgar, coarse | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/formal adjective for 'vulgar, coarse' in speech, behavior, or habits. Much stronger and more written than everyday 低俗; typically describes a person's overall character (粗鄙之人) rather than a single joke.

adjective

vulgarcoarse

Examples

粗鄙，。
Tā de yán xíng shí fēn cū bǐ, ràng rén fǎn gǎn.
His words and actions are very vulgar and off-putting.
粗鄙。
Zhè zhǒng cū bǐ de xiào hua bú shì hé zài zhèng shì chǎng hé jiǎng.
This kind of coarse joke is not suitable for formal occasions.
，粗鄙。
Tā chū shēn pín hán, dàn cóng wèi zhān rǎn cū bǐ zhī qì.
He came from a poor background but never acquired any vulgar habits.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

粗cūcoarse

鄙bǐvulgar

粗 and 鄙 both convey roughness or lowliness, so the combined sense is coarse and vulgar.

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.

米且粗

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

且

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

粗 pairs 米 (rice), which points to its meaning, with 且, which gives a clue to its sound.

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

啚啚bǐborder town
邑邑yìcity

鄙 began as 啚, a form for border town. It later adds 邑, a city, beside it.

Appears in

Personality & Traits

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