Definition
谦虚 (qiān xū) means 'modest, humble' — not exaggerating one's own abilities or achievements. It contrasts with 虚心 (xū xīn), which is about being open-minded and willing to learn from others, and with 谦逊 (qiān xùn), a more formal/literary synonym. As a verb, 谦虚 means to say modest things about oneself (e.g., 谦虚了几句).
adjective
modesthumbleself-effacing
verb
to make modest remarksto speak humbly
Examples
- 谦虚。Tā shì yí wèi fēicháng qiān xū de xuézhě.He is a very modest scholar.
- 谦虚，。Tā qiān xū le jǐ jù, shuō zìjǐ zuò de hái bú gòu hǎo.He made a few modest remarks, saying he hadn't done well enough.
- 谦虚，。Zuòrén yào qiān xū jǐnshèn, bú yào jiāo'ào.One should be modest and cautious, not arrogant.
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