Understanding "骄傲" - Chinese Word Explanation

1. Basic Information

• Word: 骄傲
• Pinyin: jiāo'ào
• Literal Meaning: "Proud" or "arrogant" (骄傲 combines 骄 "arrogant" and 傲 "proud")
• Primary Meaning:
• Positive sense: Pride, feeling proud of an achievement or someone else's success.
• Negative sense: Arrogance, an inflated sense of self-importance.

2. In-depth Explanation

• Context and Usage:
• Positive: Used to express legitimate pride, such as being proud of one's country, family, or personal accomplishments.
  • Example: "我为我的孩子感到骄傲" (I am proud of my child).
• Negative: Describes someone who is overly confident or looks down on others.
  • Example: "他太骄傲了，从不听别人的意见" (He is too arrogant and never listens to others).

• Nuance: The tone and context determine whether it’s positive or negative.

• Character Breakdown:

• 骄 (jiāo): Means "arrogant" or "haughty."
• 傲 (ào): Means "proud" or "disdainful." Together, they intensify the meaning.

3. Example Sentences

1. Chinese: 我为你的成就感到骄傲。
   Pinyin: Wǒ wèi nǐ de chéngjiù gǎndào jiāo'ào.
   English: I am proud of your achievements.

2. Chinese: 他的骄傲让他失去了朋友。
   Pinyin: Tā de jiāo'ào ràng tā shīqùle péngyou.
   English: His arrogance cost him his friends.

3. Chinese: 中华民族是一个勤劳勇敢、值得骄傲的民族。
   Pinyin: Zhōnghuá mínzú shì yīgè qínláo yǒnggǎn, zhídé jiāo'ào de mínzú.
   English: The Chinese nation is a hardworking, brave, and proud people.

Cultural Notes

• In Chinese culture, humility is highly valued, so using 骄傲 in a negative sense (arrogance) is often criticized.
• However, expressing 骄傲 in a positive sense (e.g., national pride or parental pride) is encouraged and common.

Conclusion

骄傲 (jiāo'ào) can mean both "pride" (positive) and "arrogance" (negative). Pay attention to context to understand its tone. Use it to celebrate achievements, but avoid describing someone as 骄傲 unless criticizing their arrogance.