自高自大 (zì gāo zì dà) — conceited, arrogant, self-important

Definition

Means 'arrogant / full of oneself' — the headword repeats itself (自…自…) to stress the habit of looking down on others. More literary than 骄傲 (which can be neutral or proud) and purely negative.

idiom
conceitedarrogantself-important

Examples

  • 自高自大，。
    Tā zhè ge rén tài zì gāo zì dà le, shuí dōu kàn bù qǐ.
    He is so arrogant that he looks down on everyone.
  • 自高自大。
    zì gāo zì dà De tài dù hěn nán jiāo dào zhēn zhèng de péng you.
    An arrogant attitude makes it hard to make real friends.
  • 自高自大，。
    Nǐ bú yào zì gāo zì dà, duō tīng tīng bié rén de yì jiàn.
    Don't be so conceited; listen more to other people's opinions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

自高consider oneself high
自zìoneself高gāohigh
主谓Subject + predicate
自大consider oneself big
自zìoneself大dàbig
主谓Subject + predicate

自高 (consider oneself high) and 自大 (consider oneself big) together describe conceit.

Characters in this word

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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

高 was drawn as a tall building.

Open 高 →

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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