chǒu
adjective HSK 5 #2,675

Meanings

  1. 1 ugly
  2. 2 shameful
  3. 3 hideous

Examples

Tā juéde zìjǐ zhǎng de hěn chǒu.
He thinks he looks very ugly.
Zhè jiàn yīfu zhēn chǒu.
This piece of clothing is really ugly.
Bié zuò diūrén chǒushì.
Don't do anything shameful.

Tips

history
The traditional character is much more complex than the simplified . In classical Chinese, originally referred to the second Earthly Branch (used in the traditional calendar), not ugliness.
usage
can describe appearance (ugly) or behavior (shameful/disgraceful). 出丑 (chūchǒu) means 'to make a fool of oneself.'

Components

ideograph
chǒu
ugly; second Earthly Branch
Unitary abstract symbol fusing two senses: the second Earthly Branch and (after the 1956 reform) the negative 'ugly' that replaced traditional . Indexed under Kangxi #1 (yī) by tradition, with no visible radical-element in the modern form. Historically pictured a hand with extended fingernails.

Filed under radical (yī, #1) by convention. is not a separate component in , so no strokes are highlighted.

In Pop Culture

丑小鸭 Chǒuxiǎoyā
The Ugly Duckling
Andersen fairy tale; metaphor for ugly-to-beautiful transformation

Stroke Order

chǒu