Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
倨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
倨jùarrogant, haughty, rudeag, 10 strokes, radical 亻, rank #68528, Very Hard
jù(ju4) T4
  1. 1arrogant, haughty, rude
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

倨jù(ju4)

The character 倨 (jù) describes a state of being arrogant or haughty, often implying a disdainful attitude towards others. It is commonly used to refer to someone who holds themselves in high regard, often at the expense of humility or consideration for others. This term can be applied in both social and professional contexts when discussing someone's attitude or behavior.

Strokes10Radical亻Frequency#68528DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being seen as 倨 can lead to social ostracism, as humility is highly valued. Historical figures who exhibited such arrogance were often criticized or faced downfall, illustrating the cultural preference for modesty.

Memory Tip

Imagine a proud peacock (which represents arrogance) strutting around with its feathers on display. The left part of 倨 is '亻' (a person), while the right part '居' (to reside) implies that this person has made arrogance their home. Picture this peacock refusing to leave its high perch, embodying the essence of haughtiness.

Meanings of 倨

jù(ju4)
1arrogant, haughty, rude
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 倨 means.

About 倨

倨Simplified
10Strokes
亻Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 倨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 倨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 倨

Quick Contrast

傲 (ào, proud) - use 倨 (jù) when emphasizing disdainful arrogance, whereas 傲 (ào) focuses more on pride without the same connotation of disdain.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 倨 with similar sounding words, as it specifically conveys arrogance rather than mere confidence. It's more commonly used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include 倨傲 (jù'áo, arrogant) and 倨态 (jùtài, haughty demeanor).

HSK Study Tips

Although 倨 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is useful for learners at the advanced level. It connects with other adjectives describing character traits, such as 傲慢 (àomàn, arrogant) and 自大 (zìdà, conceited). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in literary or formal texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 倨 with other words like 自信 (zìxìn, confident), leading to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '他很倨' when you mean '他很自信' is incorrect; the former implies arrogance, while the latter simply means confident.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 倨

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 倨 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Jason Explains 倨 to You

Let me explain 倨 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 倨 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Etymology of 倨

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)居
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

倨 = 亻 + 居. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 倨

IDS Structure⿰亻居
倨Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
居ji1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 倨?

How to say arrogant, haughty, rude in Chinese

“arrogant, haughty, rude” in Chinese is倨jù

The character 倨 (jù) describes a state of being arrogant or haughty, often implying a disdainful attitude towards others. It is commonly used to refer to someone who holds themselves in high regard, often at the expense of humility or consideration for others. This term can be applied in both social and professional contexts when discussing someone's attitude or behavior.

When to use 倨

Be careful not to confuse 倨 with similar sounding words, as it specifically conveys arrogance rather than mere confidence. It's more commonly used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include 倨傲 (jù'áo, arrogant) and 倨态 (jùtài, haughty demeanor).

倨 or something close to it

傲 (ào, proud) - use 倨 (jù) when emphasizing disdainful arrogance, whereas 傲 (ào) focuses more on pride without the same connotation of disdain.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 倨 with other words like 自信 (zìxìn, confident), leading to incorrect usage. For instance, saying '他很倨' when you mean '他很自信' is incorrect; the former implies arrogance, while the latter simply means confident.

Write 倨

倨

Practice writing 倨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 倨?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Cultural Notes for 倨

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While arrogance is viewed negatively in both Chinese and Western cultures, Western contexts may sometimes celebrate confidence, whereas Chinese culture often emphasizes humility as a virtue.

Word Family of 倨

Words Containing This Character3
倨jùhaughty
倨傲arrogant
前倨后恭to switch from arrogance to deference (idiom)前倨後恭
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 倨

What does 倨傲 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 倨

You can say '他的态度非常倨,' meaning 'His attitude is very arrogant.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 倨?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.