ORDINARY    平凡凡

COMMON AND INFERIOR to what is EXCELLENT.
USUALNORMALSTANDARDTYPICALCOMMONCUSTOMARYHABITUALEVERYDAYREGULARROUTINEDAY-TO-DAY
Old Chinese Criteria
1. The current general word for "ordinary" is fán 凡 (ant. qí 奇 "remarkable"). 2. Zhōng 中 (ant. yōu 優 "excellent") refers specifically to mediocrity. 3. Yōng 庸 (ant. tè 特 "of special distinction") refers to what is regularly met and not unexpected, and the word focusses on that this does not distinguish itself through any positive features. 4. Sǎn 散 (ant. jīng 精 "exquisite") refers to what can make no claim for special attention. 5. Shù 庶 (ant. zhēn 珍 "extraordinarily precious") refers to kinds of persons that there are very many of. 6. Cū 粗 (ant. jīng 精 "exquisitely civilised") refers to ordinariness as absence of cultural polish. 7. Xì 細 (ant. kuí 魁 "great, towering") refers to ordinariness as absence of real power or significance. 8. Wēi 微 (ant. jù 巨 "great") refers to relative slightness or insignificance without negative overtones.
Modern Chinese Criteria
普通 一般 平常 通常 尋常 便 日常 慣常 家常 常備 等閑 等閒 平凡 中人 refers to a person of ordinary status or appearance. 齷齪 "petty" 平淡無奇 司空見慣 習以為常 不足為奇 數見不鮮 史不絕書 rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／
Hyponym
  • VULGAR　ORDINARY AND NOT ELEGANT BECAUSE COMMON to EXCESSIVELY MANY. (anc: 9/0, child: 0)
  • SECULAR　ORDINARY AND NOT SACRED. (anc: 9/0, child: 0)
Antonym
  • SUPERNATURALOBSCURE, NOT ORDINARY, AND BELIEVED TO HAVE BIG POWER, AND which one CAN NOT PERCEIVE.
  • HEROADMIRED PERSON of INTENSELY EXCELLENT TALENT AND EXCELLENT REPUTATION EVERYWHERE.
  • PRECIOUSAPPRECIATED BECAUSE RARE, APPRECIATED AND EXPENSIVE.
  • STRANGEFEW:rare AND NOT EXPECTED.
  • EXCELLENTFEATURE BECAUSE of which SOMETHING OR SOMEONE IS OR SHOULD BE PREFERRED to OTHERS
  • GENTLEMANADULT who is EDUCATED AND ABLE to BECOME an OFFICIAL.
Hypernym
  • COMMON　EXISTING IN MANY THINGS OR PLACES. (anc: 7/0, child: 2)
  • EXIST　BE-IN the UNIVERSE of SPACE AND TIME. (anc: 6/0, child: 5)
  • BE IN　RELATION between a THING AND what that THING FILLS OR PART:partially FILLS. (anc: 5/0, child: 7)
  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 19.64

  • Anthologia sive Florilegium rerum et materiarum selectarum ( LANGIUS 1631) p.

    MEDIOCRITAS

  • Ästhetische Grundbegriffe ( BARCK 2010) p. 104

    • Words (41 items)

    小人  xiǎo rén OC: smewʔ njin MC: siɛu ȵin 95 Attributions

    Xiǎo rén 小人 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子) is a term of moral or personal appraisal and refers to a person of minor worth or of no moral merit.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 君子/GENTLEMAN Jūn zǐ 君子 can focus on nobility of birth and social status.
    • Ant: 大人/OFFICIAL
    • Oppos: 君子/GOOD Jūn zǐ 君子 (ant. xiǎo rén 小人 "petty man") refers to high moral qualities, especially in men.

      Syntactic words
    • NPabconceptthe concept of a petty person
    • NPabconceptbeing a gentlemanCH
    • NPindefinitean ordinary person
    • NPmoralmorally inferior person (not necessarily of low status): petty manCH
    • NPnonreferentialperson of low social status or moral quality, petty man
    • NPpluralpersons of ordinary low status, close to 庶人
    • NPpost-V{NUM}ordinary people
    • NP{PRED}be just an ordinary person; be morally petty
    • VPisocialbelong the the lower classes; be of ordinary calibre 小人哉！
    匹夫  pǐ fū OC: phid pa MC: phit pi̯o 47 Attributions

    Pǐ fū 匹夫 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman; freeman") and the rarer xì rén 細人 is a purely sociological term referring to a person without public office.

      Syntactic words
    • NPadNab{ACT}ordinary and vulgar (action)
    • NPadNN=humof ordinary social status; characteristic of a person of low social status
    • NPadVlike an ordinary man; appropriate to an ordinary man
    • NPindefinitean ordinary person
    • NP{vadN}ordinary person
    • NP{vadN}nonreferentialyeoman; ordinary person (who cannot by law have secondary wives and lives only with his pǐfù 匹婦 'ordinary wife')
    眾人  zhòng rén OC: tjuŋs njin MC: tɕuŋ ȵin
    衆人  zhōng rén OC: tjuŋ njin MC: tɕuŋ ȵin 39 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Oppos: 賢者/TALENT
    • Oppos: 君子/GOOD Jūn zǐ 君子 (ant. xiǎo rén 小人 "petty man") refers to high moral qualities, especially in men.

      Syntactic words
    • NPabconceptthe concept of an ordinary person
    • NPadVreference=objectlike an ordinary person
    • NPadVreference=subjectlike a commonerCH
    • NPfigurativethe hoi polloi; intellectually ordinary people (who may be of considerable social status); a vulgar uneducated person (not necessarily plural!)
    • NPpluralthe ordinary people, the (ignorant) masses; the ordinary people around
    • NP{PRED}be just an unremarkable ordinary person
    凡夫  fán fū OC: blom pa MC: bi̯ɐm pi̯o 24 Attributions

    ordinary person

      Syntactic words
    • NPcommon person; commoner; ordinary person (as opposed to the saint)
    • NPadNprobably only used like this to fill in four-character phrases: ordinary (person)
    世人  shì rén OC: lʰebs njin MC: ɕiɛi ȵin 15 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPpluralordinary people of this world
    中  zhōng OC: krluŋ MC: ʈuŋ 12 Attributions

    Zhōng 中 (ant. yōu 優 "excellent") refers specifically to mediocrity.

      Syntactic words
    • nadNmediocre; ordinary; middling
    • nadVordinarily (long-lived); average
    • v[adN]a person who is only mediocre
    • vibe mediocre??
    庸  yōng OC: k-loŋ MC: ji̯oŋ 11 Attributions

    Yōng 庸 (ant. tè 特 "of special distinction") refers to what is regularly met and not unexpected, and the word focusses on that this does not distinguish itself through any positive features.

      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]nonreferentialthose who are mediocre > the mediocre, the average people
    • vadNmediocre, unremarkable; perfectly ordinary
    粗  cū OC: skhaa MC: tshuo̝
    麤  cū OC: tshaa MC: tshuo̝ 10 Attributions

    Cū 粗 (ant. jīng 精 "exquisitely civilised") refers to ordinariness as absence of cultural polish.

      Syntactic words
    • nZZ 4.136: plain cuisine
    • nsubjectsomething ordinary and unpolished
    • v[adN]something coarse and vulgar
    • vadNcoarse, crude, unpolished; uncouth
    • vifigurativecoarse and vulgar; be uncouth
    常  cháng OC: djaŋ MC: dʑi̯ɐŋ 7 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Ant: 異/DIFFERENT The dominant general term for difference is yì 異 (ant. tóng 同 "be the same").

      Syntactic words
    • vadNordinary, unembellished; standard; customary; run of the mill; undistinguished
    凡  fán OC: blom MC: bi̯ɐm 5 Attributions

    The current general word for "ordinary" is fán 凡 (ant. qí 奇 "remarkable").

      Word relations
    • Ant: 奇/STRANGE Qí 奇 (ant. fán 凡 "perfectly ordinary") refers to the positive quality of being remarkable and unusual.
    • Ant: 聖/WISE Shèng 聖 (ant. yōng 庸 "mediocre") refers to supreme sagehood and perfection of character.

      Syntactic words
    • nabsubjectwhat is ordinary > the profane, the secular
    • vadNordinary, common
    • vadVordinarilyCH
    • vibe ordinary; be common
    細人  xì rén OC: snɯɯs njin MC: sei ȵin 5 Attributions

    Pǐ fū 匹夫 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman; freeman") and the rarer xì rén 細人 is a purely sociological term referring to a person without public office.

      Syntactic words
    • NPpetty men (versus 大人)CH
    • NPnonreferentialordinary person
    • NP{PRED}be petty fellows, be a petty man; American: be pecayuneCH
    一夫  yī fū OC: qliɡ pa MC: ʔit pi̯o 4 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NP=Nprappositionordinary man NprDS
    • NPindefiniteordinary person
    俗人  sú rén OC: sɢloɡ njin MC: zi̯ok ȵin 4 Attributions

      Word relations
    • Oppos: 我/EGO Wǒ 我 is contrastive and emphatic by Warring States times (in OBI it was not yet in opposition to wú 吾 and was the standard unmarked pronoun during earlier stages of the language). The word freely occurs in subject, mofifying, and object position and often has an idiomatic meaning like "I for my part" and the formal slightly depersonalised "our party". NB: The word also serves as an impersonal pronoun meaning "one", German man, French on.

      Syntactic words
    • NPnonreferentialordinary vulgar person
    傭  yōng MC: yowng OC: k-loŋ 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadNordinaryLZ
    庶  shù OC: qhljaɡs MC: ɕi̯ɤ 3 Attributions

    Shù 庶 (ant. zhēn 珍 "extraordinarily precious") refers to kinds of persons that there are very many of.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 嫡 / 適/HEIR Dí 嫡/適 (ant. shù 庶 "offspring by a woman other than one's main wife") emphasises the legitimacy of the succession.

      Syntactic words
    • nsubject=pluralordinary people
    • v[adN]N=huma commoner
    • vadNordinary
    細  xì OC: snɯɯs MC: sei 3 Attributions

    Xì 細 (ant. kuí 魁 "great, towering") refers to ordinariness as absence of real power or significance.

      Word relations
    • Ant: 大/GREAT Dà 大 (ant. xiǎo 小 "insignificant") is often used to refer to generally recognised awe-inspiring status (for example of a king etc) rather than mere size.

      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]nonreferentialinsignificant person
    • vadNslight, of no moral or intellectual significance; trifling, petty
    罷  pí MC: bje  OC: bral 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]the ordinary ones, those of less talentLZ
    • vadNordinary, of ordinary talent and worthLZ
    • vibe ordinary, be of ordinary talent and worthCH
    尋常  xún cháng OC: ljum djaŋ MC: zim dʑi̯ɐŋ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNfrequently [encountered] > ordinary, regular
    齊  qí OC: dziil MC: dzei 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadNegalitarian; ordinary
    • vibe egalitarian??
    凡人  fán rén OC: blom njin MC: bi̯ɐm ȵin 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPvulgar person
    中人  zhōng rén OC: krluŋ njin MC: ʈuŋ ȵin 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPfigurativemediocre person
    恆  héng OC: ɡɯɯŋ MC: ɦəŋ
    恆恒  Click here to add pinyin OC:  MC: 2 Attributions

      Word relations

      Syntactic words
    • vadNordinary
    • vadVstandardly, normally, as a rule
    時  shí OC: ɡljɯ MC: dʑɨ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nadNordinary
    • nadVnormally
    諸  zhū MC: tsyo OC: klja 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • padN(only) one of the set of NVK
    取次  qǔ cì OC: skhoʔ snʰis MC: tshi̯o tshi 1 Attribution
    • 唐五代語言詞典 Táng Wǔdài yǔyán cídiǎn A Dictionary of the Language of the Tang and Five Dynasties Periods ( JIANG/CAO 1997) p. 310

      普通，平常；隨便

      Syntactic words
    • VPadVcolloquialTang colloquial: ordinarily, regularly, usually, as a habit, just, by all means (BIANWEN, Tang poetry)
    仄陋  zè lòu MC: tsrik -- OC: tsrɯɡ -- 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNself-deprecatory: perfectly ordinaryCH
    常人  cháng rén MC: dzyang nyin OC: djaŋ njin 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPnon-referential: an ordinary personCH
    日用  rì yòng OC: mljiɡ k-loŋs MC: ȵit ji̯oŋ 1 Attribution
    • () p. 2963c

      Syntactic words
    • VPadNused daily > ordinary, common, regular (JINGDECHUANDENGLU: 日用事 'everyday matter, regular matter, ordinary activity') This word is of rather late origina
    • VPadVordinarily, in the daily activities, commonly
    仄  zè MC: tsrik OC: tsrɯɡ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vadNperfectly ordinaryCH
    群子  qún zǐ OC: ɡlun sklɯʔ MC: gi̯un tsɨ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPnonreferentialthe hoi polloi, ordinary people of some kind
    中庸  zhōng yōng MC: trjuwng yowng OC: krluŋ k-loŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNmediocreLZ
    散  sǎn OC: sqaanʔ MC: sɑn 1 Attribution

    Sǎn 散 (ant. jīng 精 "exquisite") refers to what can make no claim for special attention.

      Syntactic words
    • vadNordinary, of no special distinction whatsoever, run-of-the-mill
    族  zú OC: sɡooɡ MC: dzuk 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vadNrun of the mill, middling; less than extraordinary
    中皇  zhōng huáng OC: krluŋ ɡʷaaŋ MC: ʈuŋ ɦɑŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadNof ordinary excellence, of middle excellence, medium majestic
    匹婦  pǐ fù OC: phid buʔ MC: phit bɨu 1 Attribution

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 匹夫/ORDINARY Pǐ fū 匹夫 (ant. jūn zǐ 君子 "gentleman; freeman") and the rarer xì rén 細人 is a purely sociological term referring to a person without public office.

      Syntactic words
    • NPindefinitean ordinary woman
    白  bái OC: braaɡ MC: bɣɛk 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vadNordinary; common; undistinguished; unadorned
    碌  lù OC: b-rooɡ MC: luk 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vadNfigurativelike an oridinary stone > ordinary, mediocre, regular
    • vi.redordinary
    不仁  bù rén OC: pɯʔ njin MC: pi̯ut ȵin 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VP[adN]less than good
    中士  zhōng shì OC: krluŋ dzrɯʔ MC: ʈuŋ ɖʐɨ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPordinary vulgar men of some education
    微  wēi OC: mɯl MC: mɨi 0 Attributions

    Wēi 微 (ant. jù 巨 "great") refers to relative slightness or insignificance without negative overtones.

      Syntactic words
    • viinsignificant
      Click here to add pinyin MC:  OC: 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vibe ordinary, be of ordinary talent and worthCH