贱 jiàn cheap
cheap; low; mean; worthless; lowly; despicable
How it came to be
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
The shell gives the meaning and the right part gives the sound.
用法
- Cheap/lowly/base, the opposite of 贵: 贵贱 (guìjiàn) high and low (in price or status), 贫贱 (pínjiàn) poor and lowly, 低贱 (dījiàn) menial/base.
- 贱卖 (jiànmài) means to sell dirt cheap. Colloquially 贱 is a strong insult: 犯贱 (fànjiàn) to ask for trouble / be contemptible, 贱人 (jiànrén) a despicable person. Also self-deprecating 贱内 (my humble wife).