wěiqū: 委屈 - To Feel Wronged, Aggrieved; Grievance

• Keywords: 委屈, weiqu, wěiqū, feel wronged, aggrieved, grievance, injustice, unfair treatment, Chinese emotion, what does weiqu mean, Chinese culture, emotional vocabulary.
• Summary: Discover the deep meaning of 委屈 (wěiqū), a uniquely Chinese emotion describing the feeling of being wronged, misunderstood, or treated unfairly, especially when you are unable to voice your frustration due to a power imbalance or the need to maintain social harmony. This page explores the cultural significance of `wěiqū`, how to use it in everyday conversation, and how it differs from simply feeling “sad” or “upset.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wěiqū
• Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To feel wronged or aggrieved; to suffer an injustice; a grievance.
• In a Nutshell: `委屈` is the specific, bottled-up feeling of sadness and frustration you get when you've been treated unfairly but can't do anything about it. Imagine your boss blames you for a colleague's mistake, and you have to just take it. That knot in your stomach, a mix of injustice, helplessness, and sadness—that is `委屈`. It’s not just being unhappy; it’s being unhappy for an unjust reason.

• 委 (wěi): This character can mean “to entrust,” “to appoint,” or “to shift blame.” It also carries a sense of “bending” or “stooping.” Think of being put in a compromised or subordinate position.
• 屈 (qū): This character literally means “to bend,” “to flex,” or “to yield.” It also directly means “to be wronged.” The imagery is of being physically or metaphorically forced to bend to a superior force or an unfair situation.

When combined, 委屈 (wěiqū) paints a vivid picture of being forced to bend or yield to an injustice, resulting in a feeling of being wronged and aggrieved.

`委屈` is a profoundly important emotional concept in Chinese culture, often tied to the values of collectivism, social harmony (和谐, héxié), and respect for hierarchy. In many Western cultures, particularly American culture, individualism is prized. If you feel wronged, the common advice is to “speak up,” “stand up for yourself,” or “voice your opinion.” Suppressing these feelings is often seen as unhealthy. In contrast, in a Chinese cultural context, enduring `委屈` can sometimes be seen as a sign of maturity, self-control, and sacrifice for the greater good. An individual might be expected to “swallow” (忍, rěn) their personal feelings of injustice to maintain peace within the family, harmony in the workplace, or respect for an elder. Complaining could cause everyone to lose “face” (面子, miànzi) and disrupt the group's equilibrium. Therefore, feeling `委屈` isn't just a personal emotion; it's a social one, deeply connected to one's position relative to others and the expectations of the community. Acknowledging someone's `委屈` (e.g., by saying “委屈你了”) is a powerful way to show empathy and validate their silent sacrifice.

`委屈` is a common and versatile word used in many situations. It can function as an adjective, a noun, or a verb.

• As an Adjective: Describes the state of feeling wronged.
  • 她看起来很委屈。 (Tā kànqǐlái hěn wěiqū.) - She looks very aggrieved.
• As a Noun: Refers to the grievance or injustice itself.
  • 他受了很大的委屈。 (Tā shòu le hěn dà de wěiqū.) - He suffered a great injustice.
• As a Verb: Means “to wrong someone” or “to cause someone to suffer an injustice.” This is often used to apologize or show sympathy.
  • 这件事委屈你了。 (Zhè jiàn shì wěiqū nǐ le.) - This matter has wronged you / I'm sorry you had to go through this.

It's used among friends, family, and colleagues to describe feelings related to misunderstandings, unfair accusations, and unappreciated efforts.

• Example 1:
  • 妈妈错怪了我，我心里觉得很委屈。
  • Pinyin: Māmā cuòguài le wǒ, wǒ xīnli juéde hěn wěiqū.
  • English: My mom blamed me wrongly, and I felt very wronged in my heart.
  • Analysis: This is a classic use of `委屈` as an adjective. It describes the internal feeling of being treated unfairly by someone in a position of authority (a parent).
• Example 2:
  • 看到孩子委屈地哭了，我才知道我话说得太重了。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào háizi wěiqū de kū le, wǒ cái zhīdào wǒ huà shuō de tài zhòng le.
  • English: Seeing the child cry aggrievedly, I realized my words had been too harsh.
  • Analysis: Here, `委屈地` (wěiqū de) is an adverb modifying the verb “to cry.” It specifies the *reason* for the crying—not just sadness, but sadness from feeling wronged.
• Example 3:
  • 这份工作，钱少活多，真是委屈你了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn gōngzuò, qián shǎo huó duō, zhēnshi wěiqū nǐ le.
  • English: This job has little pay and a lot of work, it really does you an injustice. (Lit: “This really wrongs you.”)
  • Analysis: Here `委屈` is a verb. The speaker is expressing sympathy, acknowledging that the other person is in an unfair situation. This is a common way to build rapport.
• Example 4:
  • 他把所有的委屈都藏在心里，从不跟人说。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ suǒyǒu de wěiqū dōu cáng zài xīnlǐ, cóngbù gēn rén shuō.
  • English: He hid all his grievances in his heart and never told anyone.
  • Analysis: In this sentence, `委屈` is used as a noun, referring to the collection of injustices he has suffered. This highlights the “bottling up” aspect of the emotion.
• Example 5:
  • 别委屈自己，不喜欢就直接告诉他。
  • Pinyin: Bié wěiqū zìjǐ, bù xǐhuān jiù zhíjiē gàosù tā.
  • English: Don't do yourself an injustice (or let yourself feel wronged); if you don't like it, just tell him directly.
  • Analysis: A modern, almost Western-style piece of advice. The verb `委屈` is used reflexively (`委屈自己`), meaning to force oneself to endure an unfair situation.
• Example 6:
  • 经理，我知道您是为了公司好，但我真的受不了这个委屈。
  • Pinyin: Jīnglǐ, wǒ zhīdào nín shì wèile gōngsī hǎo, dàn wǒ zhēnde shòu bùliǎo zhège wěiqū.
  • English: Manager, I know you mean well for the company, but I really can't stand this grievance.
  • Analysis: Using `委屈` as a noun in a formal setting. The speaker acknowledges the hierarchy and the greater good but states their personal limit for enduring unfairness.
• Example 7:
  • 她的表情充满了委屈和失望。
  • Pinyin: Tā de biǎoqíng chōngmǎn le wěiqū hé shīwàng.
  • English: Her expression was full of grievance and disappointment.
  • Analysis: A descriptive use of `委屈` as a noun. It pairs `委屈` (the feeling of injustice) with `失望` (disappointment), showing how these emotions can be linked.
• Example 8:
  • 为了孩子，她愿意受这点委屈。
  • Pinyin: Wèile háizi, tā yuànyì shòu zhè diǎn wěiqū.
  • English: For the sake of her child, she is willing to suffer this little bit of injustice.
  • Analysis: This perfectly illustrates the cultural idea of enduring `委屈` (noun) as a form of sacrifice for a loved one or a greater cause.
• Example 9:
  • 你这样不问清楚就骂人，太委屈人了！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhèyàng bù wèn qīngchǔ jiù mà rén, tài wěiqū rén le!
  • English: Scolding people like this without getting the facts straight really wrongs them!
  • Analysis: Using `委屈` as a verb (`委屈人` - to wrong people). This is an exclamation of protest against an unfair action.
• Example 10:
  • 就算委屈，也要笑着活下去。
  • Pinyin: Jiùsuàn wěiqū, yě yào xiào zhe huó xiàqù.
  • English: Even if you feel wronged, you still have to live on with a smile.
  • Analysis: An adjective use that captures a common cultural attitude towards hardship. It acknowledges the feeling of `委屈` but emphasizes the importance of resilience and endurance.

• False Friend: `委屈` vs. “Sad” or “Upset”

A common mistake for learners is to use `委屈` for any kind of sadness. `委屈` must contain an element of injustice or unfairness.

• Correct: “My boss took credit for my work. 我很委屈。” (Wǒ hěn wěiqū.) → Correct, this is unfair.
• Incorrect: “My favorite show ended. 我很委屈。” → Incorrect. There's no injustice here. You should use 难过 (nánguò - sad) or 伤心 (shāngxīn - heartbroken).
• `委屈 (wěiqū)` vs. `冤枉 (yuānwang)`

These are closely related but not the same.

• 冤枉 (yuānwang) means “to be falsely accused.” It is the specific act of being blamed for something you didn't do. It is the *cause*.
• `委屈` is the *emotional result* of being `冤枉` or suffering any other kind of unfair treatment.
• Example: 他被冤枉偷了钱 (Tā bèi yuānwang tōu le qián - He was falsely accused of stealing money), so 他觉得很委屈 (tā juéde hěn wěiqū - he feels very wronged).
• Don't Underestimate its Power

Saying “委屈你了” (wěiqū nǐ le) is more than just “Sorry you had a tough time.” It's a deep acknowledgment of the other person's unfair suffering and a validation of their feelings, which can be very powerful for building relationships.

• 难过 (nánguò) - Sad, upset. A general term for feeling bad, which lacks the specific meaning of injustice.
• 伤心 (shāngxīn) - Heartbroken, deeply sad. A stronger version of `难过`, but still does not imply unfairness.
• 冤枉 (yuānwang) - To be falsely accused; an injustice. Often the direct cause of the feeling of `委屈`.
• 不公平 (bù gōngpíng) - Unfair, unjust. An objective description of a situation that causes the subjective feeling of `委屈`.
• 忍 (rěn) - To endure, tolerate, forbear. This is the action one often takes when feeling `委屈`, especially for the sake of harmony.
• 抱怨 (bàoyuàn) - To complain. This is what you do when you choose not to `忍` your `委屈`.
• 受气 (shòuqì) - Literally “to receive anger”; to be bullied or pushed around. A common cause for feeling `委屈`.
• 心酸 (xīnsuān) - Heart-sore; a poignant, bitter sadness. A feeling often intertwined with `委屈`, especially when reflecting on past hardships.
• 面子 (miànzi) - “Face”; social standing, prestige. People often endure `委屈` to save `面子` for themselves or others.