Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== wěisuǒ: 猥琐 - Sleazy, Lewd, Creepy, Shifty ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** wěisuǒ, weisuo, 猥琐, what does weisuo mean, Chinese for creepy, Chinese for sleazy, lewd in Chinese, shifty-looking in Chinese, cringing, cowardly, Chinese internet slang. * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **猥琐 (wěisuǒ)**, a powerful and versatile Chinese adjective used to describe someone who is creepy, lewd, or sleazy. Learn how this term goes beyond simple translation to describe a shifty, cringing, or cowardly demeanor, making it a crucial word for understanding modern Chinese slang and social judgment. This page will guide you through its cultural context, practical examples, and common mistakes to avoid. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** wěi suǒ * **Part of Speech:** Adjective * **HSK Level:** N/A * **Concise Definition:** Describes a person's behavior, appearance, or demeanor as being sleazy, creepy, lewd, or wretchedly timid. * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine a person you instinctively distrust or feel uncomfortable around. That's the feeling of **猥琐**. It's not just about physical appearance; it's about a negative vibe. This could be a man with a creepy smile and shifty eyes (the "lewd" meaning), or it could be a person who is hunched over, timid, and pathetic (the "cowardly" meaning). **猥琐** is a strong, informal word used to judge someone's character as being both unpleasant and unimpressive. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **猥 (wěi):** This character combines the "dog" radical (犭) with 畏 (wèi), which means "to fear" or "to be in awe of." You can think of it as representing base, animalistic, or cringing behavior, like a fearful stray dog. It points to something lowly and undignified. * **琐 (suǒ):** This character combines the "jade" radical (玉) with 肖. Its original meaning is "fragments of jade," which extended to mean "trivial," "petty," or "insignificant." By combining these two, **猥琐 (wěisuǒ)** literally paints a picture of someone who is both lowly/cringing (猥) and petty/insignificant (琐). This perfectly captures its dual meaning of being simultaneously creepy and pathetic. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In Chinese culture, there is a strong emphasis on behavior that is open, confident, and honorable, summed up by the idiom [[正大光明]] (zhèng dà guāng míng) - "upright and open." **猥琐** is the cultural antithesis to this ideal. It describes someone who operates in the shadows, lacks dignity, and makes others feel uncomfortable with their furtive energy. A useful Western comparison is the word "creepy," but they are not identical. In English, "creepy" usually implies a potential, subtle threat. A person described as **猥琐** can certainly be threateningly creepy, but they can also just be pitifully so. Think of the character Gollum from //The Lord of the Rings//. He is conniving and malicious, but also physically hunched, cringing, and pathetic. His entire demeanor is the perfect embodiment of **猥琐**. This combination of lewdness and wretchedness is unique to the term and reflects a cultural disdain for those who lack a dignified bearing. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **猥琐** is a very common, informal, and highly negative adjective. You will hear it frequently in daily conversation and see it all over the Chinese internet. * **Describing Appearance & Vibe:** It's often used to describe a person's overall look or the feeling they give off. Someone doesn't have to be conventionally ugly (丑, chǒu) to be **猥琐**. It's more about their expression, body language, and eyes (e.g., 眼神猥琐, yǎnshén wěisuǒ - "shifty/lewd eyes"). * **Describing Actions:** Any action that is sneaky, perverted, or inappropriately timid can be described as **猥琐**. For example, a creepy laugh (猥琐的笑声, wěisuǒ de xiàoshēng) or taking pictures of someone secretly. * **Internet & Gaming Slang:** Online, it's a go-to word to call out pervy or creepy comments. It also has a specific, popular meaning in gaming: "猥琐发育" (wěisuǒ fāyù), which means "to develop stealthily." This usage flips the meaning to a strategic one: lay low, avoid direct conflict, and build up your strength quietly—like a coward—before you attack. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 那个男人看人的眼神很**猥琐**，让人觉得很不舒服。 * Pinyin: Nàge nánrén kàn rén de yǎnshén hěn **wěisuǒ**, ràng rén juéde hěn bù shūfu. * English: The way that man looks at people is very **creepy/shifty**; it makes one feel very uncomfortable. * Analysis: This is a classic use of **猥琐** to describe a person's "vibe," specifically their gaze (眼神), which is perceived as lewd or untrustworthy. * **Example 2:** * 他**猥琐**地笑了笑，然后走开了。 * Pinyin: Tā **wěisuǒ** de xiào le xiào, ránhòu zǒu kāi le. * English: He gave a **sleazy/creepy** little laugh and then walked away. * Analysis: Here, **猥琐** is used as an adverb (猥琐地) to modify the verb "to laugh" (笑). It describes the //manner// of the action. * **Example 3:** * 别那么**猥琐**！光明正大地竞争！ * Pinyin: Bié nàme **wěisuǒ**! Guāngmíngzhèngdà de jìngzhēng! * English: Don't be so **cowardly/shifty**! Compete in an open and honorable way! * Analysis: This example highlights the non-lewd meaning of **猥琐**, equating it with being cowardly, sneaky, and lacking integrity. It's contrasted with the ideal of being [[正大光明]] (guāngmíngzhèngdà). * **Example 4:** * 他长得不帅，但一点儿也不**猥琐**，人很正直。 * Pinyin: Tā zhǎng de bù shuài, dàn yīdiǎnr yě bù **wěisuǒ**, rén hěn zhèngzhí. * English: He's not handsome, but he's not **creepy** at all; he is a very upright person. * Analysis: This sentence is crucial for learners as it directly contrasts being unattractive with being **猥琐**. It emphasizes that **猥琐** is a judgment of character, not looks. * **Example 5:** * 他的行为举止非常**猥琐**，总是鬼鬼祟祟的。 * Pinyin: Tā de xíngwéi jǔzhǐ fēicháng **wěisuǒ**, zǒng shì guǐguǐsuìsuì de. * English: His behavior and mannerisms are extremely **shifty/wretched**, always acting sneakily. * Analysis: This sentence links **猥琐** with the related term [[鬼鬼祟祟]] (guǐguǐsuìsuì), which means "sneaky" or "furtive," reinforcing the idea of untrustworthy behavior. * **Example 6:** * 在网上留下那种评论，你真是太**猥琐**了。 * Pinyin: Zài wǎngshàng liú xià nà zhǒng pínglùn, nǐ zhēnshi tài **wěisuǒ** le. * English: Leaving that kind of comment online, you are truly so **sleazy/perverted**. * Analysis: A very common modern usage. It's a sharp insult used to condemn inappropriate or perverted online behavior. * **Example 7:** * 面对困难，他表现得十分**猥琐**，完全不敢承担责任。 * Pinyin: Miànduì kùnnan, tā biǎoxiàn de shífēn **wěisuǒ**, wánquán bù gǎn chéngdān zérèn. * English: Faced with difficulties, he acted extremely **cowardly/pathetically**, completely afraid to take responsibility. * Analysis: This shows the "cringing" and "unimpressive" side of **猥琐**. It describes a person who shrinks from challenges in a pitiful way. * **Example 8:** * 我警告你，收起你那**猥琐**的表情！ * Pinyin: Wǒ jǐnggào nǐ, shōu qǐ nǐ nà **wěisuǒ** de biǎoqíng! * English: I'm warning you, get that **lewd/creepy** look off your face! * Analysis: This is a direct and aggressive command, using **猥琐** to describe a facial expression (表情) that is offensive or inappropriate. * **Example 9:** * 游戏里，我们先别冲，**猥琐发育**，等后期再打。 * Pinyin: Yóuxì lǐ, wǒmen xiān bié chōng, **wěisuǒ fāyù**, děng hòuqī zài dǎ. * English: In the game, let's not rush in first. Let's **lay low and build up our strength (lit: develop sleazily)**, and fight later in the late game. * Analysis: This showcases the unique gaming slang "猥琐发育". The negative connotation is repurposed into a legitimate, if unglamorous, strategy. * **Example 10:** * 他因为胆小而显得有些**猥琐**，但其实人并不坏。 * Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi dǎnxiǎo ér xiǎnde yǒuxiē **wěisuǒ**, dàn qíshí rén bìng bù huài. * English: Because he's timid, he appears a bit **cringing/pathetic**, but he's actually not a bad person. * Analysis: This sentence provides nuance, suggesting that a **猥琐** appearance can sometimes be a misleading result of shyness (胆小) rather than malice. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Mistake 1: Confusing `猥琐` with `丑` (chǒu - ugly).** * A very common error. A person can be physically unattractive (**丑**) but have an open, kind, and confident demeanor. Conversely, a conventionally attractive person can act in a **猥琐** way. **猥琐** is about character and behavior manifesting as a creepy or pathetic vibe, not physical features. * **Mistake 2: Using it in formal situations.** * **猥琐** is highly informal, colloquial, and judgmental. Never use it in a business meeting, an academic paper, or any formal context. It's the kind of word you use to complain about someone to your friends, not to describe a colleague to your boss. * **Nuance: `猥琐` vs. `下流` (xiàliú - vulgar, obscene).** * These are related but different. **下流** refers specifically to obscene and vulgar words or actions. It's more direct and sexual. A person telling a dirty joke is **下流**. **猥琐** is broader and more about the //vibe//. A person who stares at someone for too long without saying anything might be **猥琐**, even if they haven't done anything explicitly **下流**. **猥琐** carries an added sense of being shifty and pathetic that **下流** lacks. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * * [[下流]] (xiàliú) - Vulgar, obscene. More focused on overtly lewd acts or words than the general creepy vibe of `猥琐`. * * [[变态]] (biàntài) - Pervert, abnormal. A much stronger, more clinical term. `猥琐` can be a casual insult, while `变态` implies a serious psychological deviation. * * [[色狼]] (sèláng) - "Color wolf"; a lecher, a groper. This is a noun for a person who habitually acts in a `猥琐` and predatory way. * * [[鬼鬼祟祟]] (guǐguǐsuìsuì) - A chengyu (idiom) meaning sneaky, furtive, or shifty. It perfectly describes the //behavior// of someone who is `猥琐`. * * [[窝囊]] (wōnang) - Cowardly, spineless, good-for-nothing. This term overlaps with the non-lewd, pathetic side of `猥琐`. * * [[龌龊]] (wòchuò) - Dirty, filthy, sordid. Often refers to thoughts, motives, or deals rather than just a person's demeanor. It's more literary than `猥琐`. * * [[正大光明]] (zhèng dà guāng míng) - Open and honorable, just and upright. The complete antonym of `猥琐`, representing the cultural ideal of transparent and dignified behavior.