丑

醜

chǒu

HSK 2.0Level 5

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

chǒu (adjective) ugly; unattractive

chǒu (adjective) shameful; disgraceful

chǒu (noun) 2nd Earthly Branch, the Ox, 1:00-3:00 AM in the traditional timekeeping system

chǒu (noun) clown; comic role (one of the four main roles in traditional Chinese operas)

Etymology

Depicts of a hand or paw with fingernails or claws. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. In simplified Chinese 丑 is also used to mean "ugly", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 醜.

About

The character 丑 originally depicted a hand or paw with claws, and was phonetically loaned to denote the second Earthly Branch (1-3 AM, Ox). A separate traditional character, 醜, is a phono-semantic compound meaning ugly or disgraceful. It pairs the semantic component 鬼 (guǐ, "ghost"), suggesting a hideous appearance, with the phonetic 酉 (yǒu). In simplified Chinese, 丑 absorbed this "ugly" sense as well, while traditional writing preserves 醜 for that meaning.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Xin dynasty (9-23 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个娃娃很丑。

Zhège wáwa hěn chǒu.

This doll is very ugly.

她不喜欢丑的东西。

Tā bù xǐhuān chǒu de dōngxi.

She does not like ugly things.

他的行为很丑陋。

Tā de xíngwéi hěn chǒulòu.

His behavior is very ugly.

丑角在舞台上表演。

Chǒujué zài wǔtái shàng biǎoyǎn.

The clown performed on stage.

这桩丑闻震惊了全国。

Zhè zhuāng chǒuwén zhènjīngle quánguó.

This scandal shocked the whole country.

不要丑化别人的形象。

Bùyào chǒuhuà biérén de xíngxiàng.

Do not vilify others' image.

他揭露了公司的丑恶内幕。

Tā jiēlùle gōngsī de chǒu'è nèimù.

He exposed the ugly inside story of the company.

丑恶势力最终会被打败。

Chǒu'è shìlì zuìzhōng huì bèi dǎbài.

The evil forces will eventually be defeated.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丑

Example Words