Chinese word

不平

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù píng

Meaning

  • noungrievance

Example

他内心有很多不平的事。tā nèi xīn yǒu hěn duō bù píng de shì

He harbors many grievances.

Illustration for 不平 (grievance)

More examples

公司采取措施平息了员工的不平。gōng sī cái qǔ cuò shī píng xī le yuán gōng de bù píng

The company took measures to quell its employees' grievances.

Core concept

A feeling that unfair treatment must be recognized and challenged.

Common phrases

  • 表示不平biǎo shì bù píng

    express grievances

  • 平息不平píng xī bù píng

    quell grievances

  • 消除不平xiāo chú bù píng

    resolve grievances

Similar words

不满bù mǎn: Dissatisfaction felt when a person does not get what was expected or wanted.
委屈wěi qū: A feeling of sadness and frustration from being treated unjustly.
牢骚láo sāo: Grumbling words used to let dissatisfaction or annoyance out.
愤懑fèn mèn: Deep resentment and anger toward treatment that feels unjust.

Definition in Chinese

因感到遭受不公或受到委屈而在心中产生并常以言语或行为表示的不满、怨言或抗议。yīn gǎn dào zāo shòu bù gōng huò shòu dào wěi qū ér zài xīn zhōng chǎn shēng bìng cháng yǐ yán yǔ huò xíng wéi biǎo shì de bù mǎn yuàn yán huò kàng yì

Word origin

不 (bù, "not") + 平 (píng, "level or fair") frames the feeling as a loss of fair balance that naturally leads to dissatisfaction or protest.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this word can describe an unspoken sense of unfairness, not only a public complaint, so context may show whether the feeling has been voiced.

Other meanings

  • dissatisfactionnoun
  • objectionnoun

Word lists with this word