Chinese word

不可一世

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù kě yī shì

Meaning

  • idiomarrogant

Example

那位领导在会议上表现得不可一世，没人愿意听他说话。nà wèi líng dǎo zài huì yì shàng biǎo xiàn de bù kě yí shì méi rén yuàn yì tīng tā shuō huà

That leader acted arrogantly at the meeting, and no one wanted to listen to him.

Illustration for 不可一世 (arrogant)

More examples

学生在课堂上摆出不可一世的姿态，让老师很不高兴。xué shēng zài kè táng shàng bǎi chū bù kě yí shì de zī tài ràng lǎo shī hěn bù gāo xìng

The student adopted an arrogant attitude in class, which made the teacher very unhappy.

Core concept

Someone stands mentally above the crowd, with an attitude that no rival deserves respect.

Common phrases

  • 一副不可一世的样子yí fù bù kě yí shì de yàng zi

    have an arrogant air

  • 摆出不可一世的姿态bǎi chū bù kě yí shì de zī tài

    adopt an arrogant attitude

Similar words

自以为是zì yǐ wéi shì: Insists that personal views are right and rejects opinions from other people.
骄傲自大jiāo ào zì dà: Behaves proudly and arrogantly because of personal ability or social status.
目中无人mù zhōng wú rén: Acts as if other people do not matter and completely ignores them.
盛气凌人shèng qì líng rén: Acts in a forceful, overbearing way that pressures others into submission.

Definition in Chinese

用来形容某人自以为无人能及，言行中带有明显的高傲和轻视他人的态度。yòng lái xíng róng mǒu rén zì yǐ wéi wú rén néng jí yán xíng zhōng dài yǒu míng xiǎn de gāo ào hé qīng shì tā rén de tài dù

Word origin

The idiom 不可一世 (bùkěyīshì, "arrogant") literally claims that no one can equal the speaker in the present age, which explains its use for boastful superiority.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may mistake this word for praise of exceptional ability, but it normally blames the person's attitude rather than admiring an achievement.

Other meanings

  • look down on everyoneidiom
  • self-importantidiom

Word lists with this word