高攀

gāopān

verb #31,612

Meanings

1 to social-climb; to seek connection with people of higher status
2 (self-deprecating) to be unworthy of associating with

Characters

Examples

我高攀不起。

Wǒ gāopān bù qǐ.

I'm not worthy of associating with you. (polite refusal)

她不愿意嫁给他，怕被说是高攀。

Tā bú yuànyì jià gěi tā, pà bèi shuō shì gāopān.

She didn't want to marry him, afraid of being accused of social climbing.

Tips

culture

高 (high) + 攀 (to climb) — vividly literal: 'climb upward.' The phrase 高攀不起 'can't climb that high' is one of Chinese's most polite (and sarcastically biting) refusals — it pretends you're too lowly to deserve the other person, but in tone often means 'I don't want anything to do with you.' Listen for it in romance dramas when one family looks down on another.

Stroke Order

高 gāo

攀 pān