biǎn

to diminish

to demote; to reduce or devaluate; to disparage; to censure; to depreciate

valuables (贝) + lacking (乏) = to diminish or devalue

贝 represents money or valuables, and 乏 conveys lack or deficiency. Together they evoke wealth draining away — a natural image for devaluation, demotion, or being talked down.

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LackingSemantic
ShellSemantic

他总是低别人来让自己显得更好。

tā zǒng shì biǎn dī biérén lái ràng zìjǐ xiǎn de gèng hǎo。

He always puts others down to make himself look better.

这位官员因为犯了错误而被到偏远的地方。

zhè wèi guānyuán yīnwèi fàn le cuòwù ér bèi biǎn dào piānyuǎn de dìfang。

This official was demoted to a remote place because he made a mistake.

Words with 贬

一字褒贬

yī zì bāo biǎn

lit. to dispense praise or blame with a single word (idiom)

女性贬抑

nǚ xìng biǎn yì

misogyny

男性贬抑

nán xìng biǎn yì

misandry

看贬

kàn biǎn

to expect (a currency etc) to depreciate

褒贬

bāo biǎn

to appraise

货币贬值

huò bì biǎn zhí

currency devaluation

贬低

biǎn dī

to belittle

贬值

biǎn zhí

to become devaluated

贬多于褒

biǎn duō yú bāo

to get more criticism than praise

贬官

biǎn guān

to demote an official

贬居

biǎn jū

(period of) banishment or exile (old)

贬抑

biǎn yì

to belittle

More characters with 贝