Words for how people are: upright or slick, generous or mean, steady or restless.
Chinese descriptions of character often judge as they describe, so it matters which side of the line a word falls on. 执着 and 固执 both mean not giving up, but the first is praise and the second a complaint; 精明is shrewd圆滑is too smooth to trust Many of these words follow 为人, as a person, or 做事, in how someone works, and 很 in front of them is often just rhythm, not “very”.
The words
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Noun (2)
虚荣vanityNoun5
她有点儿爱虚荣，总喜欢跟别人比。She is a little vain and always likes comparing herself with others.
Often 虚荣心, vanity as a trait.
品德moral characterNoun5
选班长不能只看成绩，也要看品德。When choosing a class monitor, you cannot look only at marks; character counts too.
Adjective (38)
正直upright, honestAdjective5
他为人正直，从来不做对不起良心的事。He is an upright man and never does anything against his conscience.
圆滑smooth, slick (in dealing with people)Adjective5
他说话很圆滑，谁也不得罪。He is a smooth talker who never offends anyone.
Critical: someone too eager to please to say what they think.
固执stubborn, obstinateAdjective4
我爸很固执，决定了的事谁劝都没用。My dad is very stubborn: once he has decided something, there is no talking him out of it.
A complaint; the praising word for not giving up is 执着.
冷漠indifferent, coldAdjective5
有人摔倒了，他却冷漠地走了过去。Someone fell over, but he just walked past without a second glance.
慷慨generousAdjective5
这位老人很慷慨，常常拿出钱帮助邻居。This old man is very generous and often gives money to help his neighbours.
More formal than 大方.
刻薄harsh, unkind (especially in speech)Adjective5
她说话太刻薄了，同事们都不愿意跟她聊天。She says such cutting things that her colleagues would rather not talk to her.
机灵quick-witted, sharpAdjective5
这孩子很机灵，眼睛一转就有主意了。This child is very quick-witted: in the blink of an eye he has come up with an idea.
稳重steady, matureAdjective5
他虽然年轻，做事却很稳重。Young as he is, he goes about things in a very steady way.
开朗cheerful, outgoingAdjective4
她性格开朗，走到哪儿都有朋友。She has a cheerful nature and makes friends wherever she goes.
豪爽open-handed and forthrightAdjective5
他是个豪爽的人，请朋友吃饭从来不计较。He is a big-hearted, forthright man who never counts the cost of treating his friends.
世故worldly, calculating (in dealing with people)Adjective5
他年纪不大，说话做事却很世故。He is not old, yet he talks and acts in a very worldly, calculating way.
The adjective has a neutral second syllable; the noun 世故, worldly experience, keeps the fourth tone.
憨厚simple and honest, guilelessAdjective5
这个小伙子老实憨厚，大家都喜欢他。This young man is honest and guileless, and everyone likes him.
老练experienced, seasonedAdjective5
她处理问题很老练，一点儿也不像新手。She handles problems like an old hand; she doesn’t seem new at all.
精明shrewd, astuteAdjective5
他做生意很精明，从不吃亏。He is a shrewd businessman and never comes off worse.
势利snobbishAdjective5
那家店的店员很势利，看人穿得普通就不理人。The staff in that shop are snobbish: if you are dressed plainly they ignore you.
A snob is 势利眼.
霸道overbearing, domineeringAdjective5
他在家里很霸道，什么都要听他的。He is domineering at home: everything has to be done his way.
贪心greedyAdjective5
别太贪心，一次拿一个就够了。Don’t be greedy — one at a time is enough.
吝啬stingy, miserlyAdjective5
他很有钱，可是非常吝啬。He has a lot of money but is extremely stingy.
Written and harsher; in speech people say 小气.
懦弱weak, cowardlyAdjective5
他太懦弱了，被人欺负也不敢说。He is too weak: even when people push him around, he does not dare say anything.
胆怯timid, faint-heartedAdjective5
第一次上台演出，她有点儿胆怯。Going on stage for the first time, she felt a little timid.
果断decisiveAdjective5
关键时刻她总是很果断。At the critical moment she is always decisive.
踏实steady and dependable; at easeAdjective5
小张工作很踏实，交给他的事都能办好。Xiao Zhang is a steady worker: whatever you give him gets done.
Also 心里踏实, to feel at ease.
务实pragmatic, practicalAdjective5
新经理很务实，不爱说空话。The new manager is pragmatic and does not go in for empty talk.
执着persistent, devoted (to a goal)Adjective5
她对音乐很执着，练了二十年琴。She is devoted to music and has practised her instrument for twenty years.
Praise; 着 is read zhuó here.
敬业dedicated to one’s workAdjective5
她非常敬业，生病了还坚持上班。She is very dedicated and still goes to work when she is ill.
细腻sensitive, finely observedAdjective5
这位作家的感情很细腻，写的东西很打动人。This writer has very fine feelings, and what she writes really moves people.
Also of skin, food or craftsmanship: smooth, fine.
敏锐sharp, perceptiveAdjective5
他很敏锐，一下子就发现了问题在哪儿。He is very perceptive and saw at once where the problem lay.
迟钝slow, sluggish (in reacting)Adjective5
我早上刚起床的时候反应很迟钝。In the morning, just after I get up, I am very slow on the uptake.
