陋

It describes things that are physically poor or filthy, as well as mentally narrow, uncultured, or morally base.

A phonetic–semantic compound composed of:

阜 (mound, settlement) — semantic component

㔷 (루) — phonetic component

The character originally referred to a low, cramped, or poor dwelling, especially in a humble settlement, and later extended metaphorically to coarseness of character or thought.

Semantic development:

- shabby dwelling / poor place

- dirty, crude, unsightly

- narrow-minded, vulgar, unrefined

Thus, 陋 came to describe both external conditions and inner qualities.

陋屋 (누옥) — a shabby house

陋巷 (누항) — a poor alley (often in classical texts)

陋習 (누습) — bad or vulgar custom

陋見 (누견) — a shallow or narrow-minded opinion (humble self-reference)

陋醜 (누추) — dirty and ugly; shabby

陋俗 (누속) — vulgar customs

陋 is frequently used in Confucian and literary texts as a modest or self-critical term.

Scholars often described their own homes or views as 陋, emphasizing humility.

The character does not merely mean “dirty” in a physical sense; it strongly implies lack of refinement or moral cultivation.

Classical citations:

《論語》 (Analects)

「居陋巷，不改其樂。」

“He lived in a shabby alley, yet did not change his joy.”

「以陋見自謙。」

“He humbly referred to his view as shallow.”

「陋室雖小，德馨則安。」

“Though the humble room is small, virtue makes it peaceful.”