Definition
吝啬 is a formal, literary adjective meaning 'stingy, miserly' — it describes a deep character trait of being excessively tight with money. It is more formal than the everyday 小气 (which also means 'petty'), and less colloquial than the very casual 抠 (kōu). The idiom 一毛不拔 (yī máo bù bá) is a vivid, set-phrase equivalent.
adjective
stingymiserly
Examples
- 吝啬。Tā duì qián fēicháng lìn sè.He is very stingy with money.
- 吝啬。Nàge lìn sè de lǎobǎn cónglái bù qǐng yuángōng chīfàn.That stingy boss never treats employees to meals.
- 吝啬，。Wǒ méi xiǎngdào tā zhème lìn sè, lián yí kuài qián dōu bú yuànyì jiè gěi wǒ.I didn't expect him to be so stingy that he wouldn't even lend me a dollar.
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