About
The character 笨, structurally composed of the bamboo radical positioned above the phonetic element 本, originally referred not to human intellect but to the soft and pale pith found within a bamboo stalk. This literal botanical meaning gradually broadened into a metaphorical description for objects or ideas that were considered crude, simple, or lacking sophistication, drawing a direct analogy from the plain and unassuming nature of the material itself. Over time, this association with unrefined quality was specifically applied to cognitive faculties, shifting from describing mere simplicity to denoting a definite lack of mental sharpness, which culminated in its modern usage as a term for stupidity or foolish behavior.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个孩子很笨。
别做笨事情。
他看起来有点笨。
我妹妹经常说笨话。
这个笨主意是谁想的？
笨重的箱子很难搬动。
虽然他有点笨，但是很努力。
用笨方法解决问题往往效率低下。