奢侈

• Pinyin: shē chǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 奢 = 大 + 者 (lavish, going beyond); 侈 = 亻+ 多 (excessive, profligate)

Meaning

Luxurious; extravagant; lavish. Describes excessive spending or indulgence beyond what is necessary.

Carries a critical or ironic tone, implying wastefulness or moral excess. Used in discussions of lifestyle, consumption, and social inequality. Common in journalism, social commentary, and formal writing.

Examples

1. 他习惯了奢侈的生活，很难适应节俭的日子。 He’s gotten used to a luxurious lifestyle, so it’s hard for him to adapt to living frugally.
2. 购买名牌包对普通家庭来说是一种奢侈。 Buying designer handbags is a luxury for ordinary families.
3. 政府提倡反对铺张奢侈的社会风气。 The government promotes a social atmosphere that opposes waste and extravagance.

Usage Guide

Context: social commentary, lifestyle, economics

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 反腐倡廉要求官员杜绝奢侈浪费的行为。(Anti-corruption efforts require officials to eliminate extravagant and wasteful behaviour.)
• 在贫富差距悬殊的社会，奢侈消费引发了广泛争议。(In a society with a wide wealth gap, luxury consumption has sparked widespread controversy.)

Don't Say

• 这顿饭很奢侈 — use 丰盛 (sumptuous) for a generous meal unless you specifically mean to criticise the excess

Origin & History

奢 (extravagant, wasteful) + 侈 (excessive, profligate) — both characters independently mean lavish excess

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal