Meanings of 壞
By ear
Play it, then pick what 壞 means.
About 壞
Podcast: 壞
Podcast: 壞
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 壞
坏 (huài) vs 差 (chà) — choose 坏 when emphasizing spoilage or moral badness, while 差 indicates inferiority or unsatisfactory quality.
Common mistakes include confusing 壞 (huài) with 好 (hǎo), which means 'good'. It's important to use 壞 in the right context, especially in negative constructions. Be mindful of tone, as mispronouncing it can change its meaning entirely.
While 壞 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects well with other adjectives describing conditions, such as 好 (good) and 旧 (old). Students should focus on recognizing its use in everyday conversation, especially in contexts discussing problems or complaints.
Learners often confuse 壞 with the similar-sounding words like 坏 (huài) and 乖 (guāi). For example, saying '他的性格是乖' (His character is good) instead of '他的性格是壞' (His character is bad) leads to incorrect meanings.
Pronunciation of 壞
Drill the tone of 壞 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason Explains 壞 to you
Let me explain 壞 for you
Make it yours
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 壞 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.
How well do you know 壞?
Learning Lab
Knowing 壞 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
- MeaningFree
- CharacterFree
- PinyinFree
- TonePro
- ListeningPro
- SpeakingPro
- WritingPro
Etymology of 壞
Simplified form of 壞. Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 褱 represents the sound.
earth
Origin
壞 = 土 + 褱. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 壞
Parts
Which of these is part of 壞?
How to say bad, rotten, spoiled; to break down in Chinese
“bad, rotten, spoiled; to break down” in Chinese is壞
The character 壞 (huài) primarily means 'bad' or 'rotten', often used to describe something that is spoiled or has deteriorated in quality. It can also refer to a person's character as 'bad' or 'evil'. In certain contexts, it can denote malfunctioning or breaking down, such as with machines or relationships.
When to use 壞
Common mistakes include confusing 壞 (huài) with 好 (hǎo), which means 'good'. It's important to use 壞 in the right context, especially in negative constructions. Be mindful of tone, as mispronouncing it can change its meaning entirely.
壞 or something close to it
坏 (huài) vs 差 (chà) — choose 坏 when emphasizing spoilage or moral badness, while 差 indicates inferiority or unsatisfactory quality.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 壞 with the similar-sounding words like 坏 (huài) and 乖 (guāi). For example, saying '他的性格是乖' (His character is good) instead of '他的性格是壞' (His character is bad) leads to incorrect meanings.
Write 壞
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 壞 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 壞?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.
Word Family of 壞
Characters with 壞
What does 坏 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 壞
Besides 'bad', 壞 can mean 'rotten', 'spoiled', or even indicate that something has broken down.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 壞?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.