Chinese word

小人

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiǎo rén

Meaning

  • nounmean person

Example

不要和小人计较太多。bú yào hé xiǎo rén jì jiào tài duō

Don't argue too much with mean people.

Illustration for 小人 (mean person)

More examples

在职场上，遇到小人要懂得保护自己。zài zhí chǎng shàng yù dào xiǎo rén yào dǒng de bǎo hù zì jǐ

In the workplace, when you meet mean people, know how to protect yourself.

Core concept

A petty, self-serving person who uses underhanded actions to gain an advantage over others.

Common phrases

  • 与小人打交道yǔ xiǎo rén dǎ jiāo dào

    deal with mean people

  • 识别小人shí bié xiǎo rén

    identify mean people

  • 不与小人同流合污bù yǔ xiǎo rén tóng liú hé wū

    not join mean people in wrongdoing

Similar words

卑鄙者bēi bǐ zhě: A despicable person who deceives or looks down on others and acts hurtfully.
伪君子wěi jūn zǐ: A hypocrite who appears respectable but secretly betrays others.
恶人è rén: A morally bad person whose wrongdoing harms others.

Definition in Chinese

指行为卑劣、心胸狭窄且常算计他人以谋私利的人。zhǐ xíng wéi bēi liè xīn xiōng xiá zhǎi qiě cháng suàn jì tā rén yǐ móu sī lì de rén

Word origin

小 (xiǎo, "small") + 人 (rén, "person") forms a classical contrast with the exemplary person, so its literal image developed into a label for someone petty and morally base.

Usage tips

  • The word usually describes a person's settled way of treating others, not just one mistake, so it can sound sweeping when applied to someone.

Other meanings

  • spiteful personnoun
  • bad personnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 小人物xiǎo rén wùinsignificant personnoun

Word lists with this word