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虚荣 (xū róng) — (noun) vanity; (adjective) vain

Definition

A negative, moralizing word for excessive pride in how others see you — wanting admiration for appearance or status. Always pejorative, unlike 骄傲 (which can be positive) or 自豪 (pride in real achievements).

noun
vanity
adjective
vain

Examples

  • 虚荣，。
    Tā zhuī qiú xū róng, mǎi le hěn duō shē chǐ pǐn.
    He pursues vanity and bought a lot of luxury goods.
  • 虚荣，。
    Tā shì gè xū róng de rén, zǒng xiǎng ràng bié rén xiàn mù tā.
    She is a vain person who always wants others to envy her.
  • 。
    Bú yào ràng xū róng xīn kòng zhì le nǐ de shēng huó.
    Don't let vanity control your life.

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.

虚xūempty
荣rónghonor

虚 means empty and 荣 means honor, together giving empty honor or vanity.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 虛; 虚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
丘丘qiūhill
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū虛xū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 虛 pairs the upper 虍, which gives the sound, with a lower part shaped like 丘, 'hill'; the simplified 虚 is a later shorthand.

Open 虚 →

Most 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 榮; 荣 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
熒
熒yíng榮róng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 榮 pairs 木, a tree/wood part, with 熒 (yíng) as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 荣 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 荣 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Personality & Traits

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