Taxonomy of meanings for 愚:　　

  • 愚 yú (OC: ŋo MC: ŋio) 遇俱切 平 廣韻：【愚憃説文曰戇也从心禺禺母猴屬獸之愚者 】
    • STUPID
      • v[adN]N=humana stupid person; simpleton, dullard
      • nabactdisplay of stupidity
      • nabpsychintellectual and moral decrepitude; moral and intellectual ignorance; ignorance
      • vadNintellectually stupid and morally insensitive (of persons and opinions etc)
      • vadNnon-restrictivestupid 愚民
      • vadVstupidly 愚學
      • vibe stupid; be simple-minded; be incompetent
      • viactdisplay stupidity
      • vtoNcausativecause to be stupid; keep stupid
      • nab(.post-N)one's stupidityCH
      • vadV(starting) from a state of being stupidLZ
      • viin public perceptionbe considered to be foolish, be generally taken to be foolishCH
      • exocentric>ENTERTAINER
        • vibe foolishCH
        • self-effacing "I, a fool">EGO
          • v[adN.][post=npro1]the stupid one, I (Han)
          • vadNpronominalmy humble, my inept 愚計
      • positive>NAIVE
        • vibe foolishCH
      • treat as and profit from>CHEAT

      Additional information about 愚

      說文解字: 【愚】，戇也。从心、从禺。 〔小徐本「禺」上無「从」。〕 禺，猴屬，獸之愚者。 【麌俱切】

        Criteria
      • SKILLFUL

        1. The standard word for skilfulness is qiǎo 巧 (ant. zhuó 拙 "inept").

        2. Jié 捷 (ant. huǎn 緩 "slow and inefficient") emphasises a lightness of touch in the exercise of a high degree of skill.

        3. Mǐn 敏 (ant. yú 愚 "stupid and incompetent") refers to a very high degree of adeptness at a task.

        4. Jì 技 (ant. zhuó 拙 "incompetent") refers to a basic technical skill of no special distinction, and the word is almost always nominal.

      • STUPID

        1. The dominant word is yú 愚 (ant. zhì 智 "clever; wise"), and the word refers to moral as well as intellectual obtuseness as well as practical ineptitude.

        2. Zhuó 拙 (ant. jié 捷 "nimble") refers to practical ineptitude.

        3. Chī 癡 (ant. yǐ4ng 穎 "very clever") refers to moronic clinical intellectual ineptitude.

        4. Lǔ 魯 and dùn 鈍 (ant. huì 慧 "clever") refer to boorish and rustic bluntness of sensibility.

        5. Bì 蔽 and měng 蒙 (all ant. cōng 聰 "clever"), refer to an appearance of stupidity due to limited access to information, a state of stupidity that is typically construed as remediable.

        6. Mèi 昧 and àn 暗 (ant. míng 明 "clear-minded") refer primarily to benightedness of mind and lack of an enlightened attitude, particularly on the part of a ruler or a person who should know better.

        7. Wán 頑 and lòu 陋 (both ant.* bó 博 "broadly civilised") add the nuance of stubbornness to that of stupidity as such.

        NB: Bèn 笨, āi 呆, shǎ3 傻, and chūn 蠢 are post-Han words for stupidity and silliness.

      • WISE

        1. The current general word for wisdom is zhì 智 (ant. yú 愚 "devoid of wisdom") and this may refer to any acquired superior intellectual ability beyond the realm of memorisation or mundane knowledge, the quality which enables one to móu 謀 give good advice..

        2. Shèng 聖 (ant. yōng 庸 "mediocre") refers to supreme sagehood and perfection of character.

        3. Míng 明 (ant. bì 蔽 "beclouded, mentally obfuscated") refers to more cerebral clarity of moral insight and superb perceptiveness.

        4. Cōng 聰 (ant. dùn 鈍 "numb and insensitive") refers to sharp and incisive intelligence, especially in the analyses of what one has learnt and heard.

        5. Huì 慧 can refer to natural profound wisdom and depth of insight, but the word often comes close to referring to natural cunning.

        6. Yǐng 穎 is a rare and archaising word referring to quite extraordinary superb intellectual ability.

        7. Ruì 睿 refers to general astuteness and thoughtfulness.

        Word relations
      • Inconsist: (STUPID)君/RULER Jūn 君 (ant. chén 臣 "minister") refers specifically to someone who is politically or administratively in charge of others as a ruler.
      • Inconsist: (STUPID)學/SCHOLAR
      • Inconsist: (STUPID)忠/FAITHFUL Zhōng 忠 refers to a selfless effort on behalf of the person to whom one takes oneself to owe loyalty, and this person may be either a ruler or a friend.
      • Ant: (STUPID)俊 / 雋/HERO Jùn 俊 focus on the hero as a remarkably talented figure towering above ordinary man.
      • Ant: (STUPID)明/INTELLIGENT Míng 明 (ant. àn 闇 "obfuscated in one's mind"), taking its analogy from sharpness of vision, typically refers to clarity of insight at all levels.
      • Ant: (STUPID)智 / 知/INTELLIGENT The most general word for native ability to understand is zhī 知 (ant. wú zhī 無知 "lack the ability to understand"), but the word ranges in meaning from spiritual wisdom to technical competence.
      • Ant: (STUPID)智 / 知/WISE The current general word for wisdom is zhì 智 (ant. yú 愚 "devoid of wisdom") and this may refer to any superior intellectual ability beyond the realm of memorisation or mundane knowledge, the quality which enables one to móu 謀 give good advice..
      • Ant: (STUPID)聖/WISE Shèng 聖 (ant. yōng 庸 "mediocre") refers to supreme sagehood and perfection of character.
      • Ant: (STUPID)賢/TALENT Xián 賢 (ant. bù xiào 不肖 "untalented") often refers to realised talents, and typically includes the nuance of moral worthiness in addition to practical and intellectual talents.
      • Ant: (STUPID)君子/GOOD Jūn zǐ 君子 (ant. xiǎo rén 小人 "petty man") refers to high moral qualities, especially in men.
      • Epithet: (STUPID)民/PEOPLE The dominant current general word for the people is mín 民 (ant. jūn 君 "ruler"), and this term refers to the people particularly insofar as they are ruled by a ruler or belong to a state.
      • Epithet: (STUPID)農/PEASANT The standard word for a peasant is nóng 農, sometimes expanded to nóng fū 農夫.
      • Epithet: (STUPID)童子/BOY Tóng zǐ 童子 is the standard neutral word for a boy below the age of 15, but the strong connotation is that of ignorance and immaturity.
      • Contrast: (STUPID)魯/STUPID Lǔ 魯 and dùn 鈍 (ant. huì 慧 "clever") refer to boorish and rustic bluntness of sensibility.
      • Assoc: (STUPID)惑/CONFUSED The standard general word for any kind of confusion is huò 惑 (ant. qīng 清 "be unconfused and clear").
      • Assoc: (STUPID)惛/CONFUSED Hūn 昏/惛 is typically confusion within a certain delimited area. See OBSCURE
      • Assoc: (STUPID)惷 / 蠢/STUPID
      • Assoc: (STUPID)怯/COWARDLY
      • Assoc: (STUPID)戇/STUPID
      • Assoc: (STUPID)拙/STUPID Zhuó 拙 (ant. jié 捷 "nimble") refers to practical ineptitude.
      • Assoc: (STUPID)暗 / 闇/STUPID
      • Assoc: (STUPID)污/WICKED Wú 污 (ant. jié 潔 "morally pure and spotless") refers to moral defilement or moral impurity.
      • Assoc: (STUPID)陋/STUPID Wán 頑 and lòu 陋 (both ant.* bó 博 "broadly civilised") add the nuance of stubbornness to that of stupidity as such.
      • Assoc: (STUPID)不肖/INCOMPETENT The most current and general word for incompetence is bù xiào 不肖 (ant. xián 賢 "distinguished talent").
      • Assoc: (STUPID)狂/CRAZY
      • Assoc: (STUPID)盲/BLIND The standard word referring to blindness came to be máng 盲 (ant. míng 明 "endowed with clear sight"), but the word can also refer specifically to colour-blindness in pre-Han times.
      • Assoc: (STUPID)謬 / 繆/MISTAKE Miù 謬 (ant. zhèng 正 "correct") typically refers to an intellectual misapprehension because of complete baselessness of what is being said.
      • Assoc: (STUPID)迷/CONFUSED Mí 迷 "be temporarily disorientated" (ant. shí 識 "be familiar with") is in connection with a direction one is intending to take.
      • Oppos: (STUPID)誣/CHEAT Wū 誣 is to deliberately mislead someone through lying.