二百五

èrbǎiwǔ
noun #23,430

Meanings

  1. 1 idiot
  2. 2 fool
  3. 3 a dope

Examples

Nǐ zěnme zhème hútu, zhēn shì gè èrbǎiwǔ!
How can you be so muddled — you're a complete idiot!
Bié gēn nàge èrbǎiwǔ yībān jiànshi.
Don't stoop to the level of that fool.

Tips

culture
In imperial China, 500 liang () of silver was called a (fēng). Half that — 250 — was considered an incomplete or worthless amount. Calling someone 二百五 implies they are half-baked, not even worth a full 500.
register
This is a colloquial insult. It is mildly offensive but very commonly used in informal speech, especially in northern China.

Stroke Order

èr
bǎi