adjective / noun HSK 4
Traditional 不滿
mǎn
dissatisfied · discontented · resentful · dissatisfaction · discontent

Meaning

不满 expresses a feeling of dissatisfaction or discontent with a situation, person, or outcome. It can function as both an adjective describing someone's emotional state and as a noun referring to the feeling of dissatisfaction itself. The word conveys that expectations have not been met or that something falls short of what is desired.

Usage

不满 is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese across formal and informal contexts. It frequently appears with 对 (duì) to indicate what one is dissatisfied with, as in 对...不满. Native speakers use it to express anything from mild disappointment to serious grievances. It's less extreme than 愤怒 (anger) but stronger than simple 不高兴 (unhappy).

Examples

  1. 01
    他对目前的工作很不满
    duì mùqián de gōngzuò hěn mǎn.
    He is very dissatisfied with his current job.
  2. 02
    员工们公开表示了对新政策的不满
    Yuángōng men gōngkāi biǎo shì le duì xīn zhèngcè de mǎn.
    The employees openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the new policy.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 对...不满
    duì ... mǎn
    dissatisfied with...
  • 表示不满
    biǎo shì mǎn
    to express dissatisfaction
  • 心怀不满
    xīn huái mǎn
    to harbor discontent
  • 不满情绪
    mǎn qíng
    feeling of discontent

Antonyms

Origin

Literally means 'not satisfied' or 'not full', combining the negative 不 with 满 (satisfied/full). The logic is that when one is not 'full' or 'filled' with satisfaction, dissatisfaction results.

Related