wǔrǔ: 侮辱 - To Insult, To Humiliate

• Keywords: wǔrǔ, 侮辱, how to say insult in Chinese, Chinese for humiliate, 侮辱 meaning, what is wǔrǔ, Chinese insult, Chinese culture face, verbal offense in Chinese, lose face, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese word 侮辱 (wǔrǔ), which means “to insult” or “to humiliate.” This comprehensive guide explores its deep cultural meaning tied to “face” (面子), how it differs from simple rudeness, and its practical use in modern China. Discover how to use 侮辱 correctly through numerous example sentences and avoid common mistakes made by English-speaking learners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wǔrǔ
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To insult, humiliate, or treat with contempt, causing a loss of dignity.
• In a Nutshell: 侮辱 (wǔrǔ) is a very strong and serious term. It's not a lighthearted “roast” or a casual jab between friends. It describes an act intended to deeply wound someone's dignity, honor, and self-respect. Think of it as an attack on a person's core identity or social standing, designed to cause shame and disgrace.

• 侮 (wǔ): This character is composed of the “person” radical (亻) on the left and 每 (měi), which means “every.” You can think of it as a person (亻) being belittled or demeaned by everyone (每). It carries the core meaning of “to insult” or “to bully.”
• 辱 (rǔ): This character's ancient form depicted a hand (寸) forcing someone into demeaning agricultural labor. It has a powerful, intrinsic meaning of “disgrace,” “shame,” or “humiliation.”
• How they combine: Putting these characters together creates a potent word. 侮 (wǔ) is the action of insulting, while 辱 (rǔ) is the resulting state of deep disgrace. Therefore, 侮辱 (wǔrǔ) describes an action that specifically aims to cause profound humiliation.

The concept of 侮辱 (wǔrǔ) is deeply connected to the Chinese cultural cornerstone of 面子 (miànzi), or “face,” which represents a person's social standing, reputation, and dignity. An 侮辱 is a direct and severe attack on someone's `miànzi`. To 侮辱 someone is to make them “lose face” in a very public and shameful way. In Western cultures, particularly American culture, an “insult” can sometimes be casual, ironic, or even a form of bonding (“roasting” a friend). It's often seen as an individual-to-individual offense. In China, however, an 侮辱 is rarely, if ever, taken lightly. It's a serious disruption of social harmony and can be perceived as an attack not just on the individual, but also on their family, their company, or even their country. This is because Chinese culture often emphasizes collectivism and the importance of maintaining respectful, harmonious relationships within a social hierarchy. Accusing someone of 侮辱 is a grave matter.

侮辱 (wǔrǔ) is used in situations where a serious offense to one's dignity has occurred.

• In Personal Arguments: It's used when a line has been crossed from simple disagreement or criticism to a personal attack on one's character, intelligence, or status.
• In Legal Contexts: The term is used formally in law. For example, 侮辱罪 (wǔrǔ zuì) is the “crime of insult,” a form of defamation.
• On Social Media and News: It's often used to describe public shaming, cyberbullying, or actions by individuals, companies, or even foreign governments that are perceived as attacks on national pride or dignity. For example, a controversial advertisement might be accused of 侮辱 Chinese culture.
• As a Noun or Verb: It can be used as a verb (“You insulted me”) or a noun (“This is a great insult”). The connotation is always strongly negative and serious.

• Example 1:
  • 你这是在侮辱我的人格！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhè shì zài wǔrǔ wǒ de réngé!
  • English: You are insulting my character!
  • Analysis: This is a very common and serious accusation in a heated argument. `人格 (réngé)` means “character” or “personal integrity,” so this phrase implies the insult is deep and personal.
• Example 2:
  • 我无法忍受这样的侮辱。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wúfǎ rěnshòu zhèyàng de wǔrǔ.
  • English: I cannot tolerate such an insult/humiliation.
  • Analysis: Here, 侮辱 is used as a noun. `忍受 (rěnshòu)` means “to tolerate” or “to bear.” This sentence expresses that a personal limit has been reached.
• Example 3:
  • 他的话对我来说是一种侮辱。
  • Pinyin: Tā de huà duì wǒ lái shuō shì yī zhǒng wǔrǔ.
  • English: His words were an insult to me.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly frames someone's speech as a noun, an “insult.” It's a formal and definitive way to state one's feeling of being offended.
• Example 4:
  • 在公共场合大声骂人是对他人的一种侮辱。
  • Pinyin: Zài gōnggòng chǎnghé dàshēng mà rén shì duì tārén de yī zhǒng wǔrǔ.
  • English: Yelling at people in public is a form of insult to others.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a general social rule. It explains that a specific action (`大声骂人` - yelling loudly at people) constitutes an act of 侮辱.
• Example 5:
  • 请你不要用这种方式侮辱我的智商。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng nǐ bùyào yòng zhè zhǒng fāngshì wǔrǔ wǒ de zhìshāng.
  • English: Please don't use this method to insult my intelligence.
  • Analysis: A very common phrase, often used sarcastically or seriously when someone is being patronizing or explaining something far too simply. `智商 (zhìshāng)` is “IQ” or “intelligence.”
• Example 6:
  • 他因为侮辱国家象征而被逮捕了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi wǔrǔ guójiā xiàngzhēng ér bèi dàibǔ le.
  • English: He was arrested for insulting national symbols.
  • Analysis: This shows the formal, legal usage of 侮辱. It highlights the seriousness of the term when applied to official or collective entities like a country.
• Example 7:
  • 这不是批评，这是赤裸裸的侮辱！
  • Pinyin: Zhè bùshì pīpíng, zhè shì chìluǒluǒ de wǔrǔ!
  • English: This isn't criticism, this is a blatant insult!
  • Analysis: `赤裸裸 (chìluǒluǒ)` means “naked” or “blatant,” adding strong emphasis. This sentence draws a clear line between constructive feedback and a malicious attack.
• Example 8:
  • 你觉得我是在侮辱你吗？我只是在陈述事实。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde wǒ shì zài wǔrǔ nǐ ma? Wǒ zhǐshì zài chénshù shìshí.
  • English: Do you think I'm insulting you? I'm just stating the facts.
  • Analysis: This shows how the term can be used defensively in a dialogue. The speaker is denying the intention to 侮辱, reframing their words as objective truth.
• Example 9:
  • 她感到自己的人格受到了极大的侮辱。
  • Pinyin: Tā gǎndào zìjǐ de réngé shòudào le jídà de wǔrǔ.
  • English: She felt that her character had been greatly insulted.
  • Analysis: The passive structure `受到 (shòudào)…侮辱` (“to receive an insult”) is very common. `极大 (jídà)` means “extremely great,” emphasizing the severity of the humiliation.
• Example 10:
  • 公司的这个广告被指责侮辱女性。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī de zhège guǎnggào bèi zhǐzé wǔrǔ nǚxìng.
  • English: The company's advertisement was accused of insulting women.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how 侮辱 can be used to describe offenses against an entire group of people. `被指责 (bèi zhǐzé)` means “to be accused of.”

• `侮辱 (wǔrǔ)` vs. `骂 (mà)`: This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
  • `骂 (mà)` means “to scold,” “to curse,” or “to call someone names.” It's about the use of foul or abusive language. You can `骂` someone without truly `侮辱` them (e.g., a mother scolding her child), and you can `侮辱` someone without `骂`-ing them (e.g., deliberately ignoring someone important to make them lose face).
  • Incorrect: 他没说脏话，所以他没有侮辱我。(Tā méi shuō zānghuà, suǒyǐ tā méiyǒu wǔrǔ wǒ.) - “He didn't use profanity, so he didn't insult me.”
  • Reasoning: This is wrong because an insult (侮辱) is about attacking dignity, not just using bad words. Ignoring someone, laughing at their failure, or mimicking them mockingly are all forms of 侮辱 that don't require profanity.
• Don't Use It Casually: The biggest mistake an English speaker can make is to use 侮辱 with the same casualness as “insult” or “roast.” Joking with a Chinese friend and saying “我开玩笑地侮辱了你一下 (Wǒ kāiwánxiào de wǔrǔ le nǐ yīxià)” (“I just insulted you as a joke”) would sound bizarre and alarming. The word carries too much weight for casual teasing. Use 开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào) (to joke) instead.

• 骂 (mà) - To scold, to curse. The act of using abusive words, which may or may not be part of an `侮辱`.
• 欺负 (qīfu) - To bully, to pick on. Focuses on the dynamic of the strong taking advantage of the weak.
• 羞辱 (xiūrǔ) - To shame, to humiliate. A very close synonym of `侮辱`, but perhaps with an even stronger focus on the feeling of shame (`羞`) experienced by the victim.
• 面子 (miànzi) - Face, dignity, reputation. The cultural concept that is attacked by an `侮辱`.
• 尊严 (zūnyán) - Dignity. What is lost or damaged when one is subjected to `侮辱`.
• 鄙视 (bǐshì) - To despise, to look down upon. The internal feeling of contempt that might lead someone to `侮辱` another person.
• 歧视 (qíshì) - Discrimination. A type of systemic `侮辱` directed at a person because of their group identity (race, gender, etc.).
• 诽谤 (fěibàng) - To slander, to defame. A legal or formal term for ruining a reputation with lies, which is a specific form of `侮辱`.
• 嘲笑 (cháoxiào) - To laugh at, to mock. A specific action that can be a form of `侮辱`, but is generally less severe.