贬 biǎn to devalue
to devalue; to demote
How to remember 贬: 贝 sea shell + 乏 poor = to devalue. The collector's rare sea shell turns out to be a cheap copy, and the poor man watches the expert decide to devalue it.
Component breakdown
贬 = 贝 sea shell + 乏 poor
- 贝 sea shell
- 乏 poor
The collector's rare sea shell turns out to be a cheap copy, and the poor man watches the expert decide to devalue it.
How it is used
- To devalue/demote/disparage - 贬值 (biǎnzhí) to depreciate (in value), 贬低 (biǎndī) to belittle, 贬义 (biǎnyì) a derogatory sense (贬义词 a pejorative word).
- Paired with 褒 (bāo, to praise): 褒贬 (bāobiǎn) means to appraise/pass judgment. 贬 is the negative pole - to lower or put down.