48
Bundle 48: Humble Pie
謙
self-effacing
JOK: 1222
Find out how to say, "He modestly understated his fabulous achievements" and "His modesty is commendable." Learn about honorific versus humble speech: the purpose, formation, and altered vocabulary. And "meet" people with 謙 in their names, such as actor Ken Watanabe; the first person to cross the Pacific by yacht; and an empress who may have dallied with a sinister monk.
拙
bungling
JOK: 1487
With 拙, you can condemn art as crude, writing as unsophisticated, foreign policy as unskillful, and yourself as incompetent. But 拙 isn’t only about impossibly high standards. The essay shows that speed sometimes matters more than good results. Of course, maybe others won't see your shoddy work that way. Conveniently, the essay also teaches you to say, “I’m screwed!”
弊
abuse
JOK: 1779
Japan may pride itself on its long traditions and conservative ways. But armed with 弊, people criticize antiquated thinking and talk about abandoning customs. The same kanji enables the Japanese to discuss exhaustion and worn-out objects. Despite all this negativity, people commonly use 弊 for upbeat statements such as “Thank you for your interest in our company.”
遜
humble
JOK: 2057
Find out about a kanji that primarily means "humble" but typically appears in words for arrogance! Learn to say, "He had an arrogant face." Also discover how 遜 as "inferior" enables you to make comparisons, as in "This potter's work is comparable to that of his predecessors," "It tastes every bit as good as Japanese rice," and "She is as capable as a professional."
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