HSK · Level 58
105 words
Chinese word
自卑
Pronunciation
Pinyinzì bēi
Meaning
- adjectivefeel inferior
Example
小时候我常常自卑，觉得自己不如别人。xiǎo shí hòu wǒ cháng cháng zì bēi jué de zì jǐ bù rú bié rén
When I was young, I often felt inferior and thought I was not as good as others.
More examples
面试失败后，他开始变得自卑，不愿意和人交流。miàn shì shī bài hòu tā kāi shǐ biàn de zì bēi bú yuàn yì hé rén jiāo liú
After failing the interview, he began to feel inferior and did not want to talk with people.
Core concept
An inner scale places the self below the expected standard, weakening confidence and inviting self-criticism.
Common phrases
感到自卑gǎn dào zì bēi
feel inferior
越来越自卑yuè lái yuè zì bēi
feel increasingly inferior
Similar words
不自信bú zì xìn: Lacking confidence in personal abilities or decisions, often causing hesitation or worry.
胆怯dǎn qiè: Feeling afraid and lacking courage when facing difficult situations.
害羞hài xiū: Feeling embarrassed around people and avoiding speaking or making eye contact.
Definition in Chinese
对自己的能力、条件或价值感到不足而自我评价低下，常伴随不自信或自我贬低的情绪。duì zì jǐ de néng lì tiáo jiàn huò jià zhí gǎn dào bù zú ér zì wǒ píng jià dī xià cháng bàn suí bú zì xìn huò zì wó biǎn dī de qíng xù
Word origin
The compound 自 (zì, "self") + 卑 (bēi, "low") turns the idea of being low into a judgment directed at oneself.
Usage tips
- Chinese can state this feeling directly, but everyday conversations often soften personal judgments by focusing on how someone feels rather than labeling the person.
Other meanings
- insecureadjective
- inferiority complexnoun
Related words
- 自卑心理zì bēi xīn lǐinferiority complexnoun
- 自卑倾向zì bēi qīng xiàngtendency to feel inferiornoun