How to Write 侮 (wǔ) — Meaning “To insult / To humiliate”

Think of a person (亻) saying "me, me, me" (similar to the sound of 每) in a rude, self-centered way — that's how they insult others. Alternatively, imagine someone with a "meh" attitude, looking down on people, which captures the feeling of insult and humiliation.

Pay attention to the right part 每: it has a horizontal stroke at the top, then a vertical stroke that bends into a horizontal hook, followed by a dot, a horizontal, and another dot. A common mistake is to forget the two dots inside 每 or to make the left radical 亻 too wide — keep it narrow so the whole character stays balanced.

Visually, 侮 has 每 on the right (which looks like 母 with a horizontal line on top), while 伯 has 白 (white) and 估 has 古 (ancient). In meaning, 侮 is negative and means to insult or humiliate; 伯 means elder brother or uncle (respectful), and 估 means to estimate or appraise (neutral). They are used in very different contexts.

侮 appears in formal or written Chinese, often in words like 侮辱 (to insult), 欺侮 (to bully), and 侮蔑 (to despise). It is not part of the HSK vocabulary, so learners usually see it in news articles, literature, or discussions about social behavior. Culturally, using 侮辱 is serious because it implies damaging someone's face (面子) or honor.

Common words containing 侮 include: 侮辱 (wǔ rǔ) — To insult / To humiliate / To dishonor; 欺侮 (qī wǔ) — to bully; to insult; 侮蔑 (wǔ miè) — To despise / To insult / To slight.