笨 (bèn) — clumsy; stupid; awkward
HSK 3 | adjective | slow-witted or physically awkward
笨 (bèn)
笨 describes someone who is slow to understand or physically clumsy, and is the natural opposite of 聪明.
Meanings
- [adj] clumsy; stupid; dull-witted; awkward; not nimble
Example Sentences
我觉得我很笨，总是学不好数学。 Wǒ juéde wǒ hěn bèn, zǒng shì xué bù hǎo shùxué. I feel like I am quite dumb; I can never learn math well.
他手很笨，做手工总是做不好。 Tā shǒu hěn bèn, zuò shǒugōng zǒng shì zuò bù hǎo. He has clumsy hands and can never do crafts well.
别说自己笨，只是需要多练习。 Bié shuō zìjǐ bèn, zhǐ shì xūyào duō liànxí. Don't say you're dumb; you just need more practice.
这个方法太笨了，有更好的办法。 Zhège fāngfǎ tài bèn le, yǒu gèng hǎo de bànfǎ. This method is too clumsy; there is a better way.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 笨手笨脚 | clumsy with hands and feet |
| 笨鸟先飞 | the slow bird must start early |
| 笨方法 | a clumsy/inefficient method |
| 有点笨 | a bit slow or clumsy |
Memory Hook
The character 笨 shows bamboo (竹) over the root (本). Bamboo is stiff and unbending: a fitting image for someone who cannot adapt quickly.