吝 lìn stingy
stingy; miserly
How to remember 吝: 文 culture + 口 mouth = stingy. My uncle loves culture but keeps his mouth shut when the museum asks for a donation, because he is terribly stingy.
Component breakdown
吝 = 文 culture + 口 mouth
- 文 culture
- 口 mouth
My uncle loves culture but keeps his mouth shut when the museum asks for a donation, because he is terribly stingy.
How it is used
- Stingy, grudging to give - 吝啬 (lìnsè) miserly, 吝惜 (lìnxī) to grudge/begrudge (spending or giving).
- 不吝 (búlìn) 'not sparing' is a polite request - 不吝赐教 (búlìn cìjiào) please don't hold back your advice.
- 吝啬 is stronger and more critical than 节俭 (frugal, a virtue) - 吝啬 is a flaw.