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March 24, 2026
厉害(厲害)lìhai(li4hai5)
厉害 (lìhài) describes something that is formidable or impressive, often used to express admiration or concern about someone's skills or a situation's severity. It can refer to people, situations, or even things that are intense, difficult to handle, or cause strong reactions.
Strokes15Frequency#1156DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being described as 厉害 often carries a sense of respect and admiration for someone's abilities, especially in academic or professional contexts. It reflects the cultural value placed on excellence and competence.
Memory Tip
Imagine a fierce tiger (猛虎) that is both awesome and terrifying, symbolizing the dual nature of 厉害 - it can mean something impressive or something hard to deal with. The character 厉 (lì) looks like a strong, threatening figure, while 害 (hài) suggests harm, which helps you remember its intensity.
Meanings of 厉害
lìhai(li4hai5)
1difficult to deal with
2difficult to endure
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 厉害
厉害Simplified
厲害Traditional
15Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1156Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 厉害
Podcast: 厉害
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AI Study Notes for 厉害
Quick Contrast
厉害 (lìhài) vs 棒 (bàng) — use 厉害 for severity or intensity, while 棒 emphasizes excellence or skill.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 厉害 with other words like 可怕 (kěpà, scary) or 严重 (yánzhòng, serious). While 厉害 can be positive or negative, using it in a negative context can sound harsh; consider the tone and context. Common collocations include 厉害的老师 (lìhài de lǎoshī, impressive teacher) and 厉害的竞争 (lìhài de jìngzhēng, fierce competition).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 厉害 connects well with other adjectives that describe intensity or severity, enhancing students' ability to express strong opinions. Focus on using it in sentences to describe skills or challenging situations to solidify understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 厉害 when they mean to say 'bad' or 'awful'; for instance, saying '这部电影很厉害' (This movie is very厉害) when they mean it was terrible. Instead, they should say '这部电影很糟糕' (This movie is terrible).
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Pronunciation of 厉害
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厉害 (lìhài) describes something that is formidable or impressive, often used to express admiration or concern about someone's skills or a situation's severity. It can refer to people, situations, or even things that are intense, difficult to handle, or cause strong reactions.
When to use 厉害
Be careful not to confuse 厉害 with other words like 可怕 (kěpà, scary) or 严重 (yánzhòng, serious). While 厉害 can be positive or negative, using it in a negative context can sound harsh; consider the tone and context. Common collocations include 厉害的老师 (lìhài de lǎoshī, impressive teacher) and 厉害的竞争 (lìhài de jìngzhēng, fierce competition).
厉害 or something close to it
厉害 (lìhài) vs 棒 (bàng) — use 厉害 for severity or intensity, while 棒 emphasizes excellence or skill.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 厉害 when they mean to say 'bad' or 'awful'; for instance, saying '这部电影很厉害' (This movie is very厉害) when they mean it was terrible. Instead, they should say '这部电影很糟糕' (This movie is terrible).
Write 厉害
厉
害
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Grammar Patterns of 厉害
厉害 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 9 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
那棵树倾斜得非常____。
The tree was leaning at a low angle from the ground.
Example Sentences for 厉害 (10)
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1
那棵树倾斜得非常厉害。
nà kē shù qīng xié dé fēi cháng lì hài。
The tree was leaning at a low angle from the ground.
2
他病得厉害，不能赶到他儿子身边了。
tā bìng dé lì hài， ， bù néng gǎn dào tā ér zǐ shēn biān。
He was too sick to travel to his son's side.
3
我的眼睛肿得很厉害，几乎看不到东西。
wǒ de yǎn jīng zhǒng dé hěn lì hài， ， jī hū kàn bù dào dōng。
