Meanings of 吝啬
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Podcast: 吝啬
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AI study notes for 吝啬
吝啬 (lìn sè) vs 小气 (xiǎo qì) — use 吝啬 for a more formal or moral judgment of excessive stinginess, while 小气 is more casual and can imply being petty.
It's important to use 吝啬 in contexts where you want to criticize someone's lack of generosity, as it has a negative connotation. A common mistake is to confuse it with 节约 (jié yuē), which means frugal in a positive sense. Use 吝啬 in informal conversations and avoid it in formal settings unless discussing character traits.
As an HSK Level 6 word, 吝啬 connects well with other advanced vocabulary related to personality traits and social behaviors. Focus on the contrast between 吝啬 and other terms like 慷慨 (kāng kǎi), which means generous, to deepen your understanding of social dynamics in Mandarin.
Learners often confuse 吝啬 with 节约 (jié yuē), mistakenly using 吝啬 to describe someone who is simply saving money wisely. Correct use would be: '他很节约' (tā hěn jié yuē) for saving versus '他很吝啬' (tā hěn lìn sè) for being stingy.
Pronunciation of 吝啬
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Component characters
How to say stingy in Chinese
“stingy” in Chinese is吝啬
The term 吝啬 (lìn sè) refers to someone who is excessively unwilling to spend money or share resources, often to the point of being miserly. It is commonly used to describe individuals who are so frugal that it negatively impacts their social relationships or generosity. The nuance often carries a moral judgment about the stinginess being a flaw in character.
When to use 吝啬
It's important to use 吝啬 in contexts where you want to criticize someone's lack of generosity, as it has a negative connotation. A common mistake is to confuse it with 节约 (jié yuē), which means frugal in a positive sense. Use 吝啬 in informal conversations and avoid it in formal settings unless discussing character traits.
吝啬 or something close to it
吝啬 (lìn sè) vs 小气 (xiǎo qì) — use 吝啬 for a more formal or moral judgment of excessive stinginess, while 小气 is more casual and can imply being petty.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 吝啬 with 节约 (jié yuē), mistakenly using 吝啬 to describe someone who is simply saving money wisely. Correct use would be: '他很节约' (tā hěn jié yuē) for saving versus '他很吝啬' (tā hěn lìn sè) for being stingy.
Write 吝啬
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Grammar patterns of 吝啬
吝啬 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
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别这么____布料，不然做出来的窗帘会显得特寒酸。
Don't be mean with fabric, otherwise curtains will end up looking skimpy.
Example sentences for 吝啬 (5)
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Frequently asked questions about 吝啬
No, 吝啬 specifically implies a negative quality of being overly stingy, rather than simply being financially prudent.
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