Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 傲慢 | àomàn |
| 高傲 | gāo'ào |
| 驕傲 / 骄傲 | jiāo'ào |
The term is used to describe someone having excessive pride. To say that someone is 'too arrogant', you can use the structure 太 [adjective] 了, resulting in 太傲慢了.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 傲慢 is composed of 傲, meaning proud or haughty and 慢, meaning slow, disrespectful or arrogant.
Which one should you use?
While all these terms deal with pride, they have different nuances. 傲慢 is strictly negative and focuses on a rude or contemptuous attitude. In contrast, 高傲 often implies being aloof or feeling 'above others'. Unlike the negative 傲慢, the term 骄傲 (or its traditional form 驕傲) can be used positively to mean being 'proud' of an achievement.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective 傲慢 can be used directly as an attributive modifier before a noun, such as in the phrase 傲慢的态度 (an arrogant attitude).
How do you pronounce it?
àomàn
Did you know?
- Chinese has a specific idiom 目中无人, meaning 'no one is in one's eyes', which serves as a vivid metaphorical way to describe an 'arrogant' person.
- In Chinese culture, 高傲 is sometimes viewed as a noble trait for a scholar or a hero who refuses to bow to corruption, rather than a simple flaw.
- The character 慢 in 傲慢 means 'slow' in modern Chinese, but it originally carried the meaning of 'negligent' or 'disrespectful'.
Examples in context
- 一个人能否在不显得傲慢的情况下保持诚实？Can one be honest without appearing arrogant?This sentence shows how to use 傲慢 regarding someone's appearance or behavior.Tatoeba #13882159 by Suzumeya_Meiya, translation #5693125 by joshodude_1308
- 我的灵魂里有很多地方玩世不恭，对人傲慢无礼，但是它有一个核心，这个核心害怕黑暗，柔弱得像绵羊一样。In my soul there are many places that are cynical and arrogant, but at its core, it fears the darkness and is as weak as a sheep.This sentence uses 傲慢 to describe a character trait within a soul.Tatoeba #3130803 by sadhen, translation #7797406 by sharris123
- 別那麼傲慢。Don't be so arrogant!This sentence demonstrates a command using 傲慢.Tatoeba #10320181 by DaoSeng, translation #10363106 by Rawrren
- 张先生对待下属总是很傲慢，完全不给予他们尊重。Mr. Zhang always treats his subordinates arrogantly, showing them no respect.
- 她总是自大地认为自己比别人优秀。She always arrogantly believes that she is superior to others.
- 他一直对自己的才华很狂妄。He has always been arrogant about his talents.
- 那位大老板总是目中无人，不管别人的想法。That boss always acts arrogantly, disregarding other people's opinions.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two coworkers are discussing a new manager.
- 雨婷 Yuting那个新经理看起来很傲慢。Nàge xīn jīnglǐ kàn qǐlái hěn àomàn.That new manager looks very arrogant.
- 伟 Wei我也觉得他说话态度很傲慢。Wǒ yě juéde tā shuōhuà tàidù hěn àomàn.I also think his attitude when speaking is very arrogant.
- 雨婷 Yuting他总是看不起别人的意见。Tā zǒngshì kàn bù qǐ biérén de yìjiàn.He always looks down on other people's opinions.
- 伟 Wei这种性格很难相处。Zhè zhǒng xìnggé hěn nán xiāngchǔ.This kind of personality is hard to get along with.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arrogant” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
