Meaning
差劲 is a colloquial adjective expressing disappointment or dissatisfaction with quality, performance, or behavior. It means something or someone falls short of expectations and is below standard. The word combines 差 (poor, inferior) with 劲 (strength, energy) to convey the sense that something lacks the necessary vigor or quality.
Usage
This is an informal, everyday term commonly used in spoken Chinese to criticize or express disappointment. It can describe people, things, performances, or situations. While not vulgar, it carries a clearly negative tone and is more casual than formal alternatives like 糟糕 or 不好. Often used in phrases like 太差劲了 (so lousy) or 真差劲 (really disappointing).
Examples
- 01他今天的表现太差劲了，完全没发挥好。, .His performance today was terrible; he didn't perform well at all.
- 02这家餐厅的服务真差劲，我们等了一个小时。, .The service at this restaurant is really lousy; we waited for an hour.
Characters
Common collocations
- 太差劲了so lousy/terrible
- 真差劲really poor/disappointing
- 差劲的表现poor performance
- 这么差劲this lousy/bad
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 差 (deficient, poor) with 劲 (strength), literally suggesting a lack of strength or vigor, which metaphorically extends to mean poor quality or disappointing performance.