<p>Although <code>愤世嫉俗</code>may use to describe cynical, but it is not appropriate for many circumstances.  Because <code>愤世嫉俗</code> sometimes are use to describe "anti-social" or "outlier". </p>

<p>Perhaps this is something better when you describe a person with cynical character: </p>

<ul>
<li>他对人性本质善良有非议</li>
<li>他常质疑人性(人性善良）</li>
<li>他认为人性本恶</li>
<li>他比较赞同荀子【人性本恶】</li>
<li>他是【性恶论】的信徒</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T12:15:17.320Z
2017-02-21T12:21:41.193Z
2017-02-21T12:21:41.193Z
mootmoot
<p>There are several words with close meaning: <code>愤世嫉俗</code>、<code>犬儒主义</code>。</p>

<p><code>犬儒主义</code> is most close to the word as <code>Cynic</code> has the meaning of <code>犬</code> in ancient Greek and Chinese. And one of the representative Greek philosophers is <code>Diogenēs o Sinopeus</code> who proposed the philosophy which is very similar to "<code>老庄哲学</code>" in ancient China.</p>

<p>However, "<code>犬儒主义</code>" is not a negative emotional word -- not so discouraging -- it describes someone who lives and satisfies to his own life style which is different from the rest part of the "incorrigible" world.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T11:14:01.793Z
2017-03-01T06:36:46.967Z
2017-03-01T06:36:46.967Z
shuangwhywhy
<p>In my comment to one of the other answer:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>愤世嫉俗 is in Google Translate result for 'cynical'. The fact is -- 愤世嫉俗 is mostly an attitude generated by emotional frustration; while 'cynical' is an egoistic thinking manifest itself in a sarcastic attitude toward the world.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I think <strong>尖酸刻薄</strong> (sarcastic / cynical) is a good translation because it only describes the attitude itself, unlike 愤世嫉俗, the motive of being 尖酸刻薄 is unstated.</p>
<p>cynical is an attitude. It is mostly expressed through the way someone speaks-- same as 尖酸刻薄.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B0%96%E9%85%B8%E5%88%BB%E8%96%84" rel="nofollow noreferrer">尖酸刻薄</a></p>
<p>说话带刺，待人冷酷，不给人丝毫回旋的余地，使人感觉没有人情味</p>
<p>Speak thorny, treat people cold, do not give the slightest room for maneuver. Give people an impression of no human touch.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T20:48:40.573Z
2017-02-21T20:57:14.623Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>I think it is hard to find a phrase that exactly encapsulates the meaning of 'cynical'. That said, I think "以小人之心度君子之腹" is a good description.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-27T15:45:48.737Z
I don't think this is a right phrase. It has the sense of, for example, thinking someone is planning something bad in a situation because that's what you would do in that situation, when it is not the case because that person is a much more virtuous person than you.
Divide1918
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T20:14:03.393Z
2017-02-21T20:14:03.393Z
John
<p>I think that "愤世嫉俗" is the right saying.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T07:12:54.573Z
愤世嫉俗 is in Google Translate result for 'cynical'. The fact is -- 愤世嫉俗 is mostly an attitude created by emotional frustration; while 'cynical' is an egoistic thinking manifest itself in a sarcastic attitude toward the world.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T06:47:10.083Z
2017-02-21T06:47:10.083Z
Jason
<p>cynical as in "believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-21T07:55:08.137Z
there's also 犬儒
Mou某
<translation><vocabulary><simplified-characters>
In Chinese, how can I describe someone as being cynical?
# In Chinese, how can I describe someone as being cynical?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-02-21)

cynical as in "believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others."

**Tags:** translation, vocabulary, simplified-characters

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: there's also 犬儒  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-02-21. Score: 4

Although `愤世嫉俗`may use to describe cynical, but it is not appropriate for many circumstances. Because `愤世嫉俗` sometimes are use to describe "anti-social" or "outlier".

Perhaps this is something better when you describe a person with cynical character:

* 他对人性本质善良有非议
* 他常质疑人性(人性善良）
* 他认为人性本恶
* 他比较赞同荀子【人性本恶】
* 他是【性恶论】的信徒


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-02-21. Score: 3

There are several words with close meaning: `愤世嫉俗`、`犬儒主义`。

`犬儒主义` is most close to the word as `Cynic` has the meaning of `犬` in ancient Greek and Chinese. And one of the representative Greek philosophers is `Diogenēs o Sinopeus` who proposed the philosophy which is very similar to "`老庄哲学`" in ancient China.

However, "`犬儒主义`" is not a negative emotional word -- not so discouraging -- it describes someone who lives and satisfies to his own life style which is different from the rest part of the "incorrigible" world.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-02-21. Score: 2

In my comment to one of the other answer:

> *愤世嫉俗 is in Google Translate result for 'cynical'. The fact is -- 愤世嫉俗 is mostly an attitude generated by emotional frustration; while 'cynical' is an egoistic thinking manifest itself in a sarcastic attitude toward the world.*

I think **尖酸刻薄** (sarcastic / cynical) is a good translation because it only describes the attitude itself, unlike 愤世嫉俗, the motive of being 尖酸刻薄 is unstated.

cynical is an attitude. It is mostly expressed through the way someone speaks-- same as 尖酸刻薄.

> [尖酸刻薄](http://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B0%96%E9%85%B8%E5%88%BB%E8%96%84)
>
> 说话带刺，待人冷酷，不给人丝毫回旋的余地，使人感觉没有人情味
>
> Speak thorny, treat people cold, do not give the slightest room for maneuver. Give people an impression of no human touch.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-02-21. Score: 1

I think it is hard to find a phrase that exactly encapsulates the meaning of 'cynical'. That said, I think "以小人之心度君子之腹" is a good description.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: I don't think this is a right phrase. It has the sense of, for example, thinking someone is planning something bad in a situation because that's what you would do in that situation, when it is not the case because that person is a much more virtuous person than you.  

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### Answer by username_7 on 2017-02-21. Score: 1

I think that "愤世嫉俗" is the right saying.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: 愤世嫉俗 is in Google Translate result for 'cynical'. The fact is -- 愤世嫉俗 is mostly an attitude created by emotional frustration; while 'cynical' is an egoistic thinking manifest itself in a sarcastic attitude toward the world.  

---

