丑

• Pinyin: chǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 丑 = pictograph, originally representing a hand or claw; meaning 'ugly' is a phonetic loan

Meaning

Ugly; unattractive; shameful.

Describes physical unattractiveness or morally disgraceful behavior. Can refer to appearance, actions, or situations. The phrase 丢丑 means to embarrass oneself. Also one of the twelve Earthly Branches (representing 1-3 AM).

Examples

1. 这件衣服穿在我身上太丑了，我还是换一件吧。 This dress looks too ugly on me; I'd better change into something else.
2. 他在众人面前出了丑，脸都红了。 He embarrassed himself in front of everyone and turned red.
3. 别把家丑外扬，自己解决就好。 Don't air your dirty laundry in public — just deal with it yourself.

Usage Guide

Context: appearance, behavior, embarrassment

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 这个设计太丑了。(This design is too ugly.)
• 别出丑了！(Don't embarrass yourself!)

Don't Say

• 直接说别人'你很丑'非常不礼貌——这是很冒犯的话，应该避免 (Directly saying 你很丑 to someone is very rude — this is offensive and should be avoided)

Origin & History

Originally one of the twelve Earthly Branches, later extended to mean ugly or shameful, possibly through sound borrowing.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal