卑しい

• Reading: いやしい
• Romaji: iyashii
• Kanji breakdown: 卑 (iya/hi) — lowly, base, vulgar, humble
• Pronunciation: /i.ja.ɕiː/

Meaning

Lowborn; humble; lowly. Also: greedy, vulgar, or base in character.

An i-adjective with two main uses. The first refers to low social status or humble origins (卑しい身分). The second, more common in modern usage, describes someone who is greedy or lacking refinement — especially about food (食い意地が卑しい). The word carries strong negative connotations and is considered quite blunt or rude when directed at someone.

Examples

1. 人の食べ物を欲しがるなんて卑しいと言われた。 I was told that wanting other people's food is greedy.
2. 卑しい身分から出世した武将の物語だ。 It's the story of a warlord who rose from humble origins.
3. 金に卑しい人間にはなりたくない。 I don't want to become someone who is greedy for money.

Usage Guide

Context: character judgement, historical narrative, social commentary

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 卑 means 'lowly, base, vulgar' and appears in classical terms like 卑下 (self-deprecation). Originally denoted low social rank, later extending to moral baseness.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal