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March 24, 2026
秽(穢)huì(hui4)
The character 秽 (huì) refers to something that is dirty or unclean, both in a physical sense, such as dirt or filth, and in a moral sense, indicating obscenity or immorality. It is often used to describe not only physical conditions but also concepts that are considered impure or corrupt.
Strokes11Radical禾Frequency#21296DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is often associated with moral integrity, and terms like 秽 are used to emphasize the importance of purity in both personal conduct and physical spaces. The concept of 'ritual purity' in traditional practices, such as festivals and ceremonies, further highlights its significance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'huge' pile of 'dirt' that is so 'filthy' it makes you feel unclean just looking at it. The left part '土' (tǔ) represents 'earth' or 'soil', while the right part '会' (huì) sounds like 'huge', helping you remember that it signifies something overwhelmingly dirty.
Meanings of 秽
huì(hui4)
1dirty, unclean; immoral, obscene
2dirt
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 秽
秽Simplified
穢Traditional
11Strokes
禾Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 秽
Podcast: 秽
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AI Study Notes for 秽
Quick Contrast
污 (wū) — use 秽 (huì) for moral impurity or obscenity, while 污 (wū) focuses on physical dirtiness.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'huge' pile of 'dirt' that is so 'filthy' it makes you feel unclean just looking at it. The left part '土' (tǔ) represents 'earth' or 'soil', while the right part '会' (huì) sounds like 'huge', helping you remember that it signifies something overwhelmingly dirty.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the usage of 秽 as it can carry strong negative connotations, particularly when referring to moral or ethical issues. It is typically used in a more formal or literary context rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 秽行 (huìxíng, immoral actions) and 秽土 (huìtǔ, dirty soil).
HSK Study Tips
While 秽 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to other HSK words that describe cleanliness or morality, such as 干净 (gānjìng, clean) or 正直 (zhèngzhí, upright). Students should focus on understanding the contrasts between clean and dirty, pure and impure.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is often associated with moral integrity, and terms like 秽 are used to emphasize the importance of purity in both personal conduct and physical spaces. The concept of 'ritual purity' in traditional practices, such as festivals and ceremonies, further highlights its significance.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 秽 with other characters like 脏 (zāng, dirty) without recognizing the moral aspect of 秽. For example, saying '这是很秽' (Zhè shì hěn huì) is incorrect; it should be '这是很脏' (Zhè shì hěn zāng) for a physical dirt context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 秽
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Grammar Patterns of 秽
秽 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
孩子表现不佳时要让他们知道，但不能让他们自惭形____。
When your children misbehave tell them without making them feel small.
Example Sentences for 秽 (3)
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1
孩子表现不佳时要让他们知道，但不能让他们自惭形秽。
hái zǐ biǎo xiàn bù jiā shí yào ràng tā mén zhī dào， ， dàn bù néng ràng tā mén zì cán xíng。
When your children misbehave tell them without making them feel small.
2
他的表演真让我自惭形秽。
tā de biǎo yǎn zhēn ràng wǒ zì cán xíng huì。
His playing really put me to shame.
3
穿过米德尔斯伯勒的那条河变得污秽不堪、臭不可闻。
chuān guò mǐ dé ěr sī bó lè de nà tiáo hé biàn dé wū huì bù kān、 、 chòu bù kě。
The river that runs through Middlesbrough became ugly on the eye and hard on the nose.
Cultural Notes for 秽
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is often associated with moral integrity, and terms like 秽 are used to emphasize the importance of purity in both personal conduct and physical spaces. The concept of 'ritual purity' in traditional practices, such as festivals and ceremonies, further highlights its significance.
Word Family of 秽
Words Containing This Character7
淫秽obscene淫穢
污秽wūhuìnasty污穢
秽huìdirt穢
污言秽语filthy speech污言穢語
秽语obscene language穢語
自惭形秽to feel inferior自慚形穢
淫词秽语obscene words淫詞穢語
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 淫秽 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 秽
Synonyms include 脏 (zāng, dirty) and 污秽 (wūhuì, filth), but 秽 carries a stronger moral implication.
It is generally used in more formal contexts or written language, rather than casual spoken conversation.
An example sentence is: 这个地方非常秽，应该清理一下。 (This place is very dirty and should be cleaned.)
