陋

lòu

阝 + 𫠥

Definitions

lòu (adjective) ugly; unsightly

lòu (adjective) low; humble; mean

Etymology phono-semantic

village

Semantic: 阝

About

The character 陋 is composed of the radical 阝 on the left, representing a mound or hilly terrain, which gives the semantic clue of a narrow, secluded place. On the right, the component 丙 acts as a phonetic indicator. The original meaning was a cramped, hard-to-access location, confined by hills or mounds. Over time, the sense expanded from physical narrowness to poor living conditions: crude, unrefined, impoverished. Eventually, the word also came to be used figuratively for intellectual or aesthetic shortcomings, such as shallow knowledge, narrow-mindedness, ugliness, or a lack of refinement.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个房子很简陋。

Zhè ge fáng zi hěn jiǎnlòu.

This house is very simple.

他的房间非常简陋。

Tā de fángjiān fēicháng jiǎnlòu.

His room is very simple.

她认为这幅画很丑陋。

Tā rènwéi zhè fú huà hěn chǒulòu.

She thinks this painting is very ugly.

简陋的教室需要维修。

Jiǎnlòu de jiàoshì xūyào wéixiū.

The simple classroom needs repair.

他们决定改造陋习。

Tāmen juédìng gǎizào lòuxí.

They decided to reform bad habits.

虽然设备简陋，但工作效果很好。

Suīrán shèbèi jiǎnlòu, dàn gōngzuò xiàoguǒ hěn hǎo.

Although the equipment is simple, the work effect is very good.

在那个陋旧的街区，人们依然生活得很快乐。

Zài nà ge lòujiù de jiēqū, rénmen yīrán shēnghuó dé hěn kuàilè.

In that crude old neighborhood, people still live very happily.

克服长期形成的陋俗，需要全社会的共同努力。

Kèfú chángqī xíngchéng de lòusú, xūyào quán shèhuì de gòngtóng nǔlì.

Overcoming long-formed bad customs requires the joint efforts of the whole society.

Related Characters

Component: 阝

陋