Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== méi jiàoyǎng: 没教养 - Ill-mannered, Uncouth, Lacking Upbringing ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** mei jiaoyang, méi jiàoyǎng, 没教养 meaning, Chinese for rude, Chinese for bad manners, ill-mannered in Chinese, Chinese upbringing, uncouth, poorly raised, Chinese etiquette, Chinese culture * **Summary:** Learn the meaning of **没教养 (méi jiàoyǎng)**, a powerful Chinese term used to describe someone who is ill-mannered, rude, or uncouth. More than just calling out bad behavior, this phrase directly criticizes a person's lack of proper upbringing and family education, making it a significant social and cultural insult. This guide explores its deep cultural roots, practical usage in modern China, and provides numerous example sentences to help you understand its weight and context. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** méi jiàoyǎng * **Part of Speech:** Adjective * **HSK Level:** N/A * **Concise Definition:** To be ill-mannered, rude, or poorly raised, implying a failure in one's upbringing. * **In a Nutshell:** **没教养 (méi jiàoyǎng)** is a strong and direct criticism of someone's behavior. It literally translates to "to not have upbringing/nurturing." It's not just about a single rude act; it's a judgment on a person's entire character, linking their poor manners directly to a lack of moral and social education from their family. It is much harsher and more personal than the English word "rude." ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **没 (méi):** A negative prefix meaning "not," "to not have," or "to be without." * **教 (jiào):** Means "to teach" or "education." It's the same character found in words like `老师 (lǎoshī)` - teacher, and `教育 (jiàoyù)` - education. * **养 (yǎng):** Means "to raise," "to nurture," or "to cultivate." It implies the process of bringing up a child with care and guidance. The characters combine to form **教养 (jiàoyǎng)**, which means "upbringing," "breeding," or "culture and refinement." By adding **没 (méi)**, the word becomes a powerful negation: "to be without a proper upbringing." ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * In Chinese culture, heavily influenced by Confucian values, the family unit is paramount. Parents have a profound responsibility to instill proper morals, social etiquette, and respect in their children. This process is known as **家教 (jiājiào)**, or "family education." A person's public behavior is seen as a direct reflection of their family's honor and their parents' success in raising them. * To call someone **没教养** is therefore not just an insult to the individual, but a criticism of their entire family. It implies their parents failed in their most fundamental duty. This makes the term incredibly potent and personal. * **Comparison to Western Culture:** In English, you might call someone "rude," "impolite," or "inconsiderate." These terms typically describe a specific action. Even a stronger term like "poorly raised" is not used as frequently or with as much social weight as **没教养**. While "rude" points out a behavioral flaw, **没教养** points out a perceived fundamental character and background flaw, making it a much deeper and more severe condemnation. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **Connotation:** Strongly negative, insulting, and judgmental. It is not used lightly or in jest. * **Usage Scenarios:** This term is used to call out behavior that is seen as a violation of public decency and social norms. Common examples include: * People cutting in line. * Speaking loudly on a phone in a quiet place like a train or library. * Children being openly disrespectful to elders. * Spitting in public or littering. * Behaving arrogantly or without consideration for others. * **Formality:** It is almost always used in informal, emotionally charged situations—during an argument, muttered under one's breath in frustration, or in angry online comments. You would not use this term in a formal or professional setting unless you intended to cause a major confrontation. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 他在地铁上大声打电话，真**没教养**。 * Pinyin: Tā zài dìtiě shàng dàshēng dǎ diànhuà, zhēn **méi jiàoyǎng**. * English: He's talking so loudly on the phone on the subway, he's so ill-mannered. * Analysis: A classic example of using **没教养** to criticize a common public nuisance. It implies his behavior is inconsiderate and reflects a poor upbringing. * **Example 2:** * 别让别人说我们家的孩子**没教养**。 * Pinyin: Bié ràng biérén shuō wǒmen jiā de háizi **méi jiàoyǎng**. * English: Don't let other people say our family's child has no manners. * Analysis: This is something a parent might say to their child. It highlights the cultural idea that a child's behavior reflects on the entire family's reputation. * **Example 3:** * 那个插队的男人太**没教养**了！ * Pinyin: Nàge chāduì de nánrén tài **méi jiàoyǎng** le! * English: That man who cut in line is so uncouth! * Analysis: Cutting in line is a major breach of social etiquette in China and a frequent trigger for someone being labeled **没教养**. * **Example 4:** * 对长辈这么说话，你还有没有**教养**了？ * Pinyin: Duì zhǎngbèi zhème shuōhuà, nǐ hái yǒu méiyǒu **jiàoyǎng** le? * English: How can you talk to an elder like that? Do you have any upbringing at all? * Analysis: This rhetorical question uses the term to scold someone for disrespecting an elder, a serious offense in Chinese culture. Note how `教养` is used here in the question `有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu)`. * **Example 5:** * 我真受不了我那个**没教养**的邻居。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zhēn shòubuliǎo wǒ nàge **méi jiàoyǎng** de línjū. * English: I really can't stand my ill-bred neighbor. * Analysis: Used to describe a person whose habits are consistently inconsiderate and annoying, leading to a judgment of their overall character. * **Example 6:** * 随地吐痰是一种很**没教养**的行为。 * Pinyin: Suídì tǔtán shì yī zhǒng hěn **méi jiàoyǎng** de xíngwéi. * English: Spitting on the ground is a very ill-mannered behavior. * Analysis: This sentence describes an action (`行为 xíngwéi`) as being **没教养**, a common construction. * **Example 7:** * 虽然他很富有，但是很多人都觉得他很**没教养**。 * Pinyin: Suīrán tā hěn fùyǒu, dànshì hěnduō rén dōu juéde tā hěn **méi jiàoyǎng**. * English: Although he is very wealthy, many people think he is very uncouth. * Analysis: This shows that wealth and status do not equate to having good manners. A person can be rich but still be considered **没教养**. * **Example 8:** * 作为一个成年人，在公共场合大吵大闹，太**没教养**了。 * Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè chéngniánrén, zài gōnggòng chǎnghé dà chǎo dà nào, tài **méi jiàoyǎng** le. * English: As an adult, making a huge scene in public is just so classless. * Analysis: This sentence emphasizes that such behavior is particularly unacceptable for an adult, who should know better. * **Example 9:** * 他批评我**没教养**，就因为我吃饭的时候说话了。 * Pinyin: Tā pīpíng wǒ **méi jiàoyǎng**, jiù yīnwèi wǒ chīfàn de shíhòu shuōhuà le. * English: He criticized me for being ill-mannered just because I talked while eating. * Analysis: This example shows the term being used in a reported context. Whether talking during a meal is **没教养** can depend on the specific family or situation, highlighting the subjective nature of manners. * **Example 10:** * 和**没教养**的人讲道理是没用的。 * Pinyin: Hé **méi jiàoyǎng** de rén jiǎng dàolǐ shì méiyòng de. * English: It's useless to try to reason with an uncivilized person. * Analysis: A cynical statement that portrays someone who is **没教养** as being beyond reason or logic, treating them as fundamentally different. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Don't Use It Lightly:** The most common mistake for learners is to use **没教养** as a simple equivalent for "rude." It is a serious insult. Using it for a minor mistake, like someone forgetting to say "thank you," would be extreme and could escalate a situation unnecessarily. A better, softer alternative is **没礼貌 (méi lǐmào)**, which means "impolite." * **False Friend: "Uneducated" vs. "Uncouth":** Do not confuse **教养 (jiàoyǎng - upbringing)** with **教育 (jiàoyù - formal education)**. Someone can have a Ph.D. and still be considered **没教养** if they are arrogant and inconsiderate. The term is about social and moral cultivation, not academic achievement. * **Incorrect:** `他没上过大学，所以很没教养。` (He didn't go to college, so he is very ill-mannered.) -> This logic is flawed. Lack of formal education doesn't automatically mean someone has bad manners. * **Correct:** `他虽然是教授，但对服务员大吼大叫，真没教养。` (Even though he's a professor, he yells at the waiters. He's so uncouth.) ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[有教养]] (yǒu jiàoyǎng) - The direct antonym: "well-mannered," "well-bred," "cultured." * [[家教]] (jiājiào) - "Family education," "upbringing." This is the foundation that a person who is **没教养** is said to lack. * [[礼貌]] (lǐmào) - "Politeness," "manners." The term **[[没礼貌]] (méi lǐmào)** means "impolite" and is a much safer, less insulting alternative to **没教养**. It focuses on the action rather than the person's entire background. * [[素质]] (sùzhì) - "Inner quality," "character." The phrase **[[素质低]] (sùzhì dī)**, meaning "low quality," is a very common and modern way to criticize bad public behavior. It's a bit less personal than **没教养** but carries a similar meaning of being uncultured or uncivilized. * [[粗鲁]] (cūlǔ) - "Crude," "coarse," "vulgar." This is a close synonym that focuses on the roughness or lack of refinement in someone's actions or speech. * [[修养]] (xiūyǎng) - "Self-cultivation," "poise," "refinement." It refers to one's personal, cultivated level of character and artistic taste. A person with high **修养** is the opposite of someone who is **没教养**. * [[不懂事]] (bù dǒngshì) - "Not sensible," "immature." This is often used for children or young adults who lack worldly experience and behave inappropriately out of ignorance, not malice. It is far less judgmental than **没教养**.