Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 笨 | bèn |
| 蠢 | chǔn |
| 呆 | dāi |
| 愚 | yú |
| 愚笨的 | yúbèn de |
These terms are used to describe a lack of intelligence.
Which one should you use?
The different forms carry different nuances. 笨 is the most common term and often implies being slow-witted or clumsy in learning or physical tasks. 呆 describes a person who looks blank, stunned or slow-reacting, often used to describe a 'blank' expression.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
笨 is less formal than 愚蠢. The term 傻 is used in everyday conversations and is equivalent to silly or foolish. 呆 conveys a sense of someone being dumb or simple-minded. 傻瓜 is a colloquial term for 'fool' that can be used as a lighthearted or even affectionate way to call someone silly among friends.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 死了 (dead) after an adjective like 笨 is a common way to express the superlative 'extremely' in a colloquial manner. For example, 笨死了 means 'extremely stupid'.
How do you pronounce it?
bèn
Did you know?
- The word 蠢 originally referred to the movement of insects. It is a compound of a phonetic element and the radical for 'insects', suggesting that acting 'stupid' is akin to the mindless, wriggling motion of bugs.
- In some contexts, calling someone 傻 (silly) can be a compliment to their innocence or honesty, suggesting they are too pure to be calculating.
Examples in context
- 你真的不笨。You're really not stupid.This sentence shows how to use 笨 in a negative construction.Tatoeba #5259025 by xjjAstrus, translation #1416 by Zifre
- 我不是笨蛋。I'm not stupid.This sentence uses 笨 to deny being a stupid person.Tatoeba #8698960 by crescat, translation #1108790 by CK
- 我們並不蠢。We are not stupid.This sentence demonstrates the use of 蠢 to express that a group is not stupid.Tatoeba #13663161 by LeviHighway, translation #12115512 by Amastan
- 你真是太笨了You are really stupid!
- 你怎么这么傻啊?Why are you so silly?
- 他是个呆子He's a fool or He's a bit slow.
- 你是个傻瓜You are such a silly person.
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Raining, two friends are discussing a recent mistake.
- 雨婷 Yuting你是不是太笨了？nǐ shì bù shì tài bèn le?Are you being too stupid?
- 俊杰 Junjie我真的不是故意的。wǒ zhēn de bù shì gù yì de.I really didn't do it on purpose.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，下次要注意点。jùn jié, xià cì yào zhù yì diǎn.Junjie, you need to be more careful next time.
- 俊杰 Junjie我知道了，雨婷。wǒ zhī dào le, yǔ tíng.I know, Yuting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stupid” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 呆, 愚, 笨, 蠢, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
