謙卑 / 谦卑
qiānbēi
Humble in the sense of thinking lowly of oneself is 謙卑 / 谦卑 (qiānbēi) in Chinese. If unsure, use 謙卑 / 谦卑. Wiktionary also lists 謙遜 / 谦逊 (qiānxùn) and 謙虛 / 谦虚 (qiānxū).
Meaning: thinking lowly of oneself (adj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 謙卑 / 谦卑 | qiānbēi |
| 謙遜 / 谦逊 | qiānxùn |
| 謙虛 / 谦虚 | qiānxū |
Which one should you use?
謙虛 / 谦虚 (qiānxū) is the most common word for healthy modesty, a lack of conceit in social life. 謙卑 has a heavier, more serious tone and can suggest lowliness or even subservience. 謙遜 / 谦逊 (qiānxùn) is a more formal, literary word for a humble attitude or temperament.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe a person's character, these adjectives often take 很 in front, as in 很謙虛.
How do you pronounce it?
Say qiānbēi with two high level tones.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When praising someone for how they talk about their own achievements, use 謙虛. Using 謙卑 there can sound as if you are describing someone overly submissive.
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, it is a social norm to respond to a compliment by using 謙虛 and denying the praise entirely, rather than saying 'thank you'.
- The word 謙虛 / 谦虚 ('qiānxū') contains the character '虛' ('xū'), which literally means 'empty' or 'void'. In Chinese culture, being 'empty' of ego is considered a virtue of the wise.
- In high-stakes business or political settings, the modesty of 謙虛 (qiānxū) is often a strategic tool. It is used to avoid appearing threatening to superiors while subtly signaling one's own competence.
Examples in context
- 他非常谦虚，总是低调地评价自己的成就。He is very humble, always modestly evaluating his achievements.
- 她的谦逊态度让人们对她印象深刻。Her humble attitude impresses people deeply.
- 身为一位成功的商人，他仍然保持着谦虚谨慎的态度。Despite being a successful businessman, he still maintains a humble and cautious attitude.
- 她以谦卑的心态对待每个人。She treats everyone with a humble attitude.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humble” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
