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毀 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
毀huǐto damage, to ruin; to defame, to slanderzg, 13 strokes, radical 殳
huǐ(hui3)hui T3
  1. 1to damage, to ruin; to defame, to slander
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March 24, 2026

毀huǐ(hui3)

The character 毀 (huǐ) means to damage or ruin something, often referring to physical destruction or moral degradation. It can also imply defamation or slander, where someone's reputation is harmed through false statements. This word is commonly used in both legal and everyday contexts.

Strokes13Radical殳
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of reputation is highly valued, making the act of slandering (毀謗) particularly serious. Public figures often face severe backlash if they are accused of defamation.

Memory tip

Imagine a beautiful statue being destroyed (毀) by a storm. The character's left side (毛) can remind you of the chaos of the storm, while the right side (口) resembles a mouth, symbolizing how words can damage reputations.

Meanings of 毀

huǐ(hui3)
1to damage, to ruin; to defame, to slander
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 毀 means.

About 毀

毀Simplified
13Strokes
殳Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 毀

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Podcast: 毀

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AI study notes for 毀

Quick Contrast

毁 (huǐ) vs 破 (pò): use 毁 when referring specifically to damage or ruin that affects reputation or moral standing, whereas 破 focuses more on physical destruction or breaking something.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 毀 with similar-sounding words like 会 (huì), which means 'can' or 'will.' This character is more commonly used in formal contexts, especially in media or discussions about reputation. Collocations include 毀壞 (huǐhuài - to ruin) and 毀謗 (huǐbàng - to slander).

HSK Study Tips

Although 毀 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it is useful for advanced learners focusing on reading comprehension. Connecting this word to HSK Level 5 terms related to morality and reputation, such as 道德 (dàodé - morality), can enhance understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 毀 with the more benign term 會 (huì), leading to incorrect sentences like '我會他的名聲' (I can his reputation). The correct form should be '我毀了他的名聲' (I ruined his reputation).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 毀

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Etymology of 毀

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 毀. Depicts beating a child (兒) into the ground (土) with a weapon (殳).

Memory hint

A man using a tool 殳 to strike a clay 土 vessel 臼

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 毀?

Decomposition of 毀

IDS Structure⿰⿱臼土殳
毀Full character
=
臼jiu4
top
土Tu3
bottom
殳Shu1
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 毀?

How to say to damage, to ruin; to defame, to slander in Chinese

“to damage, to ruin; to defame, to slander” in Chinese is毀huǐ

The character 毀 (huǐ) means to damage or ruin something, often referring to physical destruction or moral degradation. It can also imply defamation or slander, where someone's reputation is harmed through false statements. This word is commonly used in both legal and everyday contexts.

When to use 毀

Be careful not to confuse 毀 with similar-sounding words like 会 (huì), which means 'can' or 'will.' This character is more commonly used in formal contexts, especially in media or discussions about reputation. Collocations include 毀壞 (huǐhuài - to ruin) and 毀謗 (huǐbàng - to slander).

毀 or something close to it

毁 (huǐ) vs 破 (pò): use 毁 when referring specifically to damage or ruin that affects reputation or moral standing, whereas 破 focuses more on physical destruction or breaking something.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 毀 with the more benign term 會 (huì), leading to incorrect sentences like '我會他的名聲' (I can his reputation). The correct form should be '我毀了他的名聲' (I ruined his reputation).

Write 毀

毀

Practice writing 毀 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 毀

毀 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

一面破旗挂在 烧____ 的建筑物房顶上.

A tattered flag hung from the roof of the burnt - out building.

Example sentences for 毀 (2)

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1
一面破旗挂在 烧毀 的建筑物房顶上.

yímiàn pò qí guà zài shāo huǐ de jiànzhùwù fáng dǐng shàng.

A tattered flag hung from the roof of the burnt - out building.
2
这座教堂多年来一直面临拆毀的威胁.

zhè zuò jiàotáng duōniánlái yìzhí miànlín chāi huǐ de wēixié.

The church has been threatened with demolition for years.

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Cultural Notes for 毀

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, while defamation is also taken seriously, the legal systems around slander and libel may differ significantly in terms of burden of proof and consequences.

Word Family of 毀

Words containing this character20
毁huǐto destroy毀
摧毁cuīhuǐto destroy摧毀
毁灭huǐmièto perish毀滅
销毁xiāohuǐto obliterate銷毀
烧毁shāohuǐto burn燒燬
坠毁(of an airplane etc) to fall to the ground and crash墜毀
毁掉to destroy毀掉
毁坏huǐhuàito damage毀壞
炸毁to blow up炸燬
诋毁to vilify詆毀
毁灭性destructive毀滅性
捣毁to destroy搗毀
损毁to ruin損毀
击毁to attack and destroy擊毀
毁容to disfigure毀容
焚毁to burn down焚燬
撕毁to tear up撕毀
毁损impair, damage毀損
毁约to break a promise毀約
拆毁to dismantle拆毀
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 毀

What does 毁 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 毀

You might say, '他的名聲被毀了' (His reputation was ruined).

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