Chinese word

谦逊

Pronunciation

Pinyinqiān xùn

Meaning

  • adjectivehumble

Example

别人都夸他有才，他却很谦逊。bié rén dōu kuā tā yǒu cái tā què hěn qiān xùn

Everyone praises him for his talent, but he remains humble.

Illustration for 谦逊 (humble)

More examples

即使成名多年，他对粉丝依然谦逊。jí shǐ chéng míng duō nián tā duì fěn sī yī rán qiān xùn

Even after being famous for many years, he remains humble toward his fans.

Core concept

A gracious habit of stepping back from praise and leaving room for others.

Common phrases

  • 以谦逊的态度yǐ qiān xùn de tài dù

    with a humble attitude

  • 表现得谦逊biǎo xiàn de qiān xùn

    act humbly

  • 谦逊的人qiān xùn de rén

    a humble person

Similar words

谦虚qiān xū: Restrained and modest in describing personal abilities or successes, without boasting.
虚心xū xīn: Ready to admit personal limitations and listen to others' advice for growth.
谦和qiān hé: Mild, polite, and modest when dealing with people, with a calm and kindly manner.

Definition in Chinese

在行为和态度上表现出谦和、不张扬、不自夸的样子，给人礼让和低调的印象。zài xíng wèi hé tài dù shàng biǎo xiàn chū qiān hé bù zhāng yáng bú zì kuā de yàng zi gěi rén lǐ ràng hé dī diào de yìn xiàng

Word origin

谦 (qiān, "humble") + 逊 (xùn, "yield") combines a lowered manner with the idea of giving way, describing restrained self-presentation rather than self-denial.

Usage tips

  • After praise, this word can describe a gracious response without claiming that the speaker lacks skill, which helps separate courtesy from false modesty.

Other meanings

  • modestadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word