Meaning of 笨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- stupid
- foolish
- silly
- slow-witted
- clumsy
How to use 笨
笨 describes a person who is slow to learn or clumsy with their hands, and it can also describe objects that are bulky. It is often used in a gentle, self-deprecating way, as in 我太笨了 (wǒ tài bèn le, I'm so dumb). Example: 他学东西不笨。(Tā xué dōngxi bù bèn.) He is not slow at learning things.
笨 has bamboo ⺮ on top and 本 (běn, root) below, which also hints at the sound. Picture someone who keeps staring at the bamboo roots and never figures out how to use the bamboo.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 笨 (bèn, fourth tone) with 本 (běn, third tone, root or book), since the bottom half is identical. Remember that 笨 always has the bamboo top.
笨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
笨 bèn · stupid · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 笨.
Questions about 笨
What does 笨 mean?
笨 (bèn) means "stupid; foolish" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 笨?
笨 is made of 1 character: 笨 (11 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 笨 an HSK word?
Yes. 笨 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is 笨 rude to say to someone?
It depends on tone and relationship. Calling a friend 笨蛋 (bèndàn) playfully is common and affectionate, but saying 你很笨 to a stranger or colleague sounds insulting. Using it about yourself is safe and very common.
What is the difference between 笨 and 傻 (shǎ)?
笨 focuses on being slow to learn or physically clumsy. 傻 (shǎ) means foolish or naive, often in judgment or behavior, as in doing something silly. Both can be used playfully between close friends.