Example 1:
这件衣服的颜色太丑了。
Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yīfu de yánsè tài chǒu le.
English: The color of this dress is too ugly.
Analysis: A straightforward use of 丑 as an adjective to describe the aesthetics of an object. This is its most basic meaning.
Example 2:
他因为在会议上睡着而出丑了。
Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi zài huìyì shàng shuìzháo ér chūchǒu le.
English: He made a fool of himself because he fell asleep during the meeting.
Analysis: 出丑 (chūchǒu) is a common verb-object phrase meaning “to make a public spectacle” or “embarrass oneself.” The “ugliness” here is about action and social standing, not appearance.
Example 3:
这只哈巴狗丑萌丑萌的，我很喜欢。
Pinyin: Zhè zhī hǎbāgǒu chǒu méng chǒu méng de, wǒ hěn xǐhuān.
English: This pug is ugly-cute, I like it a lot.
Analysis: This demonstrates the modern slang 丑萌 (chǒu méng). The reduplication “丑萌丑萌的” emphasizes the quality, a common pattern in Chinese adjectives.
Example 4:
这位政客被卷入了一场财务丑闻。
Pinyin: Zhè wèi zhèngkè bèi juǎnrù le yī chǎng cáiwù chǒuwén.
English: This politician was embroiled in a financial scandal.
Analysis: 丑闻 (chǒuwén) is a specific noun for “scandal.” The 丑 here clearly means “shameful” or “disgraceful,” not visually ugly.
Example 5:
家丑不可外扬，我们自己解决这个问题吧。
Pinyin: Jiāchǒu bùkě wàiyáng, wǒmen zìjǐ jiějué zhège wèntí ba.
English: Don't air your dirty laundry in public; let's resolve this issue ourselves.
Analysis: A classic proverb. 家丑 (jiāchǒu) means “family scandal” or “family shame.” This highlights the collective nature of “face” and disgrace in Chinese culture.
Example 6:
他贪婪的样子真的很丑陋。
Pinyin: Tā tānlán de yàngzi zhēn de hěn chǒulòu.
English: His greedy appearance is really ugly/hideous.
Analysis: 丑陋 (chǒulòu) is a two-character word that intensifies 丑. It's often used to describe something deeply, morally repulsive, even if it manifests physically.
Example 7:
别担心说错，学外语的时候谁都会出丑。
Pinyin: Bié dānxīn shuō cuò, xué wàiyǔ de shíhou shéi dōu huì chūchǒu.
English: Don't worry about speaking incorrectly; everyone makes a fool of themselves when learning a foreign language.
Analysis: A reassuring use of 出丑 (chūchǒu), showing it can describe minor, relatable embarrassments, not just major scandals.
Example 8:
我生于1985年，属牛，所以我的地支是丑。
Pinyin: Wǒ shēng yú 1985 nián, shǔ niú, suǒyǐ wǒ de dìzhī shì Chǒu.
English: I was born in 1985, the year of the Ox, so my Earthly Branch is Chou.
Analysis: This shows the zodiacal use of 丑. Notice it's capitalized in the Pinyin here to indicate a proper noun. It has no negative connotation in this context.
Example 9:
他在京剧里扮演一个丑角。
Pinyin: Tā zài jīngjù lǐ bànyǎn yī ge chǒujué.
English: He plays a clown role in the Peking Opera.
Analysis: 丑角 (chǒujué) is the specific term for the clown character in Chinese opera. This is another specialized, non-pejorative use of the character.
Example 10:
他为了钱而出卖朋友，这种行为太丑恶了。
Pinyin: Tā wèile qián ér chūmài péngyou, zhè zhǒng xíngwéi tài chǒu'è le.
English: He sold out his friend for money; this kind of behavior is too vile/heinous.
Analysis: 丑恶 (chǒu'è) combines “ugly” and “evil,” creating a very strong word for describing morally reprehensible actions. This is one of the strongest forms of “ugly.”