sè
啬
stingy; miserly; close-fisted
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesadjective
stingy; miserly; tight-fisted
Primarily used in the compound 吝啬. When used alone, it often appears in literary contexts or fixed phrases like 啬刻. Carries a negative connotation.
Zhè这
gè个
rén人
sè啬
de得
hěn很
，
cóng从
lái来
bù不
qǐng请
kè客
。
This person is terribly stingy and never treats anyone.
Lìn吝
sè啬
guǐ鬼
lián连
duì对
zì自
jǐ己
dōu都
shě舍
bu不
de得
huā花
qián钱
。
A miser won't even spend money on himself.
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Tā他
wéi为
rén人
sè啬
kè刻
，
suǒ所
yǐ以
péng朋
you友
hěn很
shǎo少
。
He is mean and stingy in his dealings, so he has few friends.
adjective
(of land) barren; infertile; unproductive
literaryLiterary or dialectal usage. Describes soil that does not yield good crops, metaphorically 'stingy' in producing vegetation.
Zhè这
piàn片
tǔ土
dì地
tài太
sè啬
，
zhǒng种
shén什
me么
dōu都
zhǎng长
bu不
hǎo好
。
This land is too barren; nothing grows well here.
Gǔ古
rén人
chēng称
pín贫
jí瘠
zhī之
dì地
wéi为
sè啬
tǔ土
。
The ancients called infertile land 'stingy soil'.