Chinese word

枯燥

Pronunciation

Pinyinkū zào

Meaning

  • adjectiveboring

Example

这份工作很枯燥，我不喜欢。zhè fèn gōng zuò hěn kū zào wǒ bù xǐ huān

This job is very boring, and I don't like it.

Illustration for 枯燥 (boring)

More examples

这门枯燥的课程让我无法集中注意力。zhè mén kū zào de kè chéng ràng wǒ wú fǎ jí zhōng zhù yì lì

This boring course makes it impossible for me to concentrate.

Core concept

A task or experience feels drained of freshness, with little change to hold attention.

Common phrases

  • 枯燥的课程kū zào de kè chéng

    boring course

  • 内容枯燥nèi róng kū zào

    boring content

  • 枯燥的工作kū zào de gōng zuò

    boring work

Similar words

单调dān diào: Having little variation, with the same pattern or tone continuing and becoming boring.
乏味fá wèi: Lacking appealing content or expression, so reading or listening does not hold interest.
无趣wú qù: Having nothing fun or interesting enough to make it engaging.

Definition in Chinese

缺乏变化和趣味，给人一种索然无味、难以引起兴趣的状态。quē fá biàn huà hé qù wèi gěi rén yì zhǒng suǒ rán wú wèi nán yǐ yín qǐ xìng qù de zhuàng tài

Word origin

枯 (kū, "withered") + 燥 (zào, "dry") combine to suggest something drained of life and freshness, which leads to the modern sense of lacking interest.

Usage tips

  • The pattern 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr, "a little") before the adjective softens a negative opinion and suits comments about a film, talk, task, or class.

Other meanings

  • monotonousadjective
  • dulladjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 枯燥无味kū zào wú wèidull and uninterestingidiom
  • 枯燥乏味kū zào fá wèidull and tediousidiom

Word lists with this word