不肖

bùxiào
adjective #48,166

Meanings

  1. 1 unworthy
  2. 2 degenerate
  3. 3 unlike one's parents (in a bad sense)
  4. 4 dissolute

Examples

HSK 7-9
Tā shì jiāzú lǐ de bùxiào zǐsūn.
He is the disgrace of the family line.
HSK 7-9
Bùxiào shāngrén lìyòng yìqíng hōngtái wùjià.
Unscrupulous merchants jacked up prices during the epidemic.
HSK 7-9
Tā zìzé zìjǐ shì ge bùxiào nǚ'ér.
She blamed herself for being an unworthy daughter.

Tips

history
Literally "not resembling": originally meant a son who fails to live up to (resemble) his virtuous father. Now it also broadly labels unscrupulous people, especially in fixed collocations.
mistakes
Don't confuse with 不孝 (bùxiào, "unfilial"). Same pinyin, different character and slightly different meaning. 不肖 = unworthy of lineage; 不孝 = failing to care for parents.

Stroke Order

xiào