Definitions

xiè obscene; disrespectful

Etymology

Hands grasping  and tearing apart a dress 

About

The character '亵' traces its etymology to notions of intimate clothing, with its traditional form '褻' combining the '衣' radical indicative of garments with '執' implying proximity or handling, originally referring to undergarments worn in private. As societal attitudes linked privacy with potential impropriety, the term's meaning gradually extended to denote disrespectful or indecent conduct, a semantic shift that occurred over long periods of linguistic development. The simplified version '亵' maintains the clothing radical while modifying the other component, yet the core concept remains tied to behaviors or items considered beneath decorum, ultimately evolving into a term primarily associated with obscenity and profanation in contemporary usage.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

渎了神圣的地方。

Tā xièdú le shénshèng de dìfang.

He profaned the holy place.

不要玩他人的感情。

Bùyào xièwán tārén de gǎnqíng.

Do not play with others' feelings disrespectfully.

这件衣很舒适。

Zhè jiàn xièyī hěn shūshì.

This piece of underwear is very comfortable.

他的行为渎了宗教信仰。

Tā de xíngwéi xièdú le zōngjiào xìnyǎng.

His behavior blasphemed religious beliefs.

渎神明是不可原谅的。

Xièdú shénmíng shì bùkě yuánliàng de.

Blaspheming against deities is unforgivable.

她用渎的语言侮辱了典礼。

Tā yòng xièdú de yǔyán wǔrǔ le diǎnlǐ.

She insulted the ceremony with profane language.

古代衣的设计与现代不同。

Gǔdài xièyī de shèjì yǔ xiàndài bùtóng.

The design of ancient underwear is different from modern ones.

尽管他声称无意渎,但言行仍冒犯了众多信徒。

Jǐnguǎn tā shēngchēng wúyì xièdú, dàn yánxíng réng màofàn le zhòngduō xìntú.

Although he claimed no intention to blaspheme, his words and actions still offended many believers.