谦虚
qiānxū · HSK 6
make modest remarks
谦 modest + 虚 empty — humility means keeping your cup unfilled
虚 means empty or void. A modest person speaks as though their achievements are hollow, deflecting praise rather than collecting it.
虚 — tiger radical 虍 + hill 丘 (now 业)
Originally depicted a large mound or hill where tigers (虍) roamed, written with 虍 over 丘. Because such high places were often deserted, the meaning shifted from 'big hill' to 'empty, void, vacant,' and by extension 'unreal' or 'humble.' The bottom 丘 was later simplified to 业.