Definition
龌龊 is a formal/literary adjective with two related senses: literally 'dirty, filthy' (stronger than 脏, carrying disgust), and figuratively 'narrow-minded, petty, or morally vile'. You'll mainly find it in written Chinese or formal speech to describe either physical filth or a contemptible character.
s.v.
dirtyfilthy (formal/literary)(figurative) narrow-mindedpettymean-spirited
Examples
- 龌龊。Xiàngzi lǐ de huánjìng shífēn wò chuò.The environment in the alley is extremely filthy.
- 龌龊,。Zhège rén sīxiǎng wò chuò, zǒng ài suànjì biérén.This person is narrow-minded and always likes to scheme against others.
- 龌龊。Nà bù xiǎoshuō jiēlù le guānchǎng de wò chuò.That novel exposes the moral filth of officialdom.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.