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威胁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
威胁wēixiéto threatenHSK 5, vn, 17 strokes, rank #968, Hard
威胁wēixiéto menaceHSK 5, vn, 17 strokes, rank #968, Hard
wēixié(wei1xie2)wei xie T1
  1. 1to threaten
  2. 2to menace
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March 24, 2026

威胁(威脅)wēixié(wei1xie2)

威胁 (wēi xié) refers to the act of threatening or menacing someone, often implying a sense of danger or intimidation. It can be used in various contexts, including personal interactions, political discourse, or discussions about safety and security.

Strokes17Frequency#968DifficultyHard
Cultural note

威胁 can often be seen in discussions surrounding social issues in China, such as environmental threats or public safety concerns, reflecting the importance of community well-being in Chinese society.

Memory tip

Imagine a fierce warrior (威) holding a sword, casting a shadow of fear over a village (胁). The character's left side (威) stands for power, while the right (胁) suggests a situation of pressure or uncomfortableness, helping you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 威胁

wēixié(wei1xie2)
1to threaten
2to menace
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 威胁

威胁Simplified
威脅Traditional
17Strokes
—Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#968Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

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Podcast: 威胁

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AI study notes for 威胁

Quick Contrast

威胁 (wēixié) vs 恐吓 (kǒnghè) — use 威胁 for general threats or menaces, while 恐吓 specifically implies intimidation through fear.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 威胁 in contexts that require a softer term, such as 'to suggest' or 'to advise.' It is generally used in formal or serious contexts. Be mindful of the tone: 威 (wēi) is high, while 胁 (xié) is rising; confusion can alter the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 威胁 connects with other vocabulary related to safety and conflict. Students should focus on using it in sentences about personal or societal threats and explore synonyms like 恐吓 (kǒng hè), which means 'to intimidate.'

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 威胁 with the more casual term 威逼 (wēi bī), which implies coercion rather than a straightforward threat. Always ensure the context suits the severity implied by 威胁.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 威胁

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Component characters

威wēipower
9 strokes女
View full entry
胁xiéflank (the side of one's torso)
8 strokes⺼
View full entry

How to say to threaten in Chinese

“to threaten” in Chinese is威胁wēixié

威胁 (wēi xié) refers to the act of threatening or menacing someone, often implying a sense of danger or intimidation. It can be used in various contexts, including personal interactions, political discourse, or discussions about safety and security.

When to use 威胁

Common mistakes include using 威胁 in contexts that require a softer term, such as 'to suggest' or 'to advise.' It is generally used in formal or serious contexts. Be mindful of the tone: 威 (wēi) is high, while 胁 (xié) is rising; confusion can alter the meaning.

威胁 or something close to it

威胁 (wēixié) vs 恐吓 (kǒnghè) — use 威胁 for general threats or menaces, while 恐吓 specifically implies intimidation through fear.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 威胁 with the more casual term 威逼 (wēi bī), which implies coercion rather than a straightforward threat. Always ensure the context suits the severity implied by 威胁.

Write 威胁

威
胁

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

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Grammar patterns of 威胁

威胁 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

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

环境污染已经____到了当地居民的健康，乃至生命安全。

Environmental pollution has already threatened local residents' health, and even their very lives.

Example sentences for 威胁 (22)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这样的法规可以保护消费者免受有害或者危险药品的威胁。

zhèyàng de fǎguī kěyǐ bǎohù xiāofèizhě miǎn shòu yǒuhài huòzhě wēixiǎn yàopǐn de wēixié。

Such laws could protect the consumer from harmful or dangerous remedies.
2
“小子，这不关你的事！”麦克洛斯基威胁道。

“ xiǎo zi， zhè bù guān nǐ de shì！” mài kè luò Sī jī wēixié dào。

"This ain't no affair of yours, boy!" McClosky said threateningly.
3
他叫我们滚蛋，于是我们威胁他的孩子。

tā jiào wǒmen gǔn dàn， yúshì wǒmen wēixié tā de háizi。

He told us to get stuffed so we leaned on his kid.
4
.老师们被人用菜刀威胁，遭受人身侵犯和言语辱骂。

. lǎoshī men bèi rén yòng cài dāo wēixié， zāoshòu rénshēn qīnfàn hé yányǔ rǔ mà。

Teachers were threatened with kitchen knives, physically assaulted and verbally abused..
5
他不会为了帮助朋友而让自己的事业受到威胁。

tā bù huì wèile bāngzhù péngyou ér ràng zìjǐ de shìyè shòudào wēixié。

He wouldn't put his career on the line to help a friend.
6
在企业内部，拒不服从指令的工人会面临遭解雇的威胁。

zài qǐyè nèibù， jù bùfú cóng zhǐlìng de gōngrén huìmiàn lín zāo jiěgù de wēixié。

In industry, a worker who is grossly insubordinate is threatened with discharge.
7
他威胁说如果她拒绝服从就剥夺她的继承权。

tā wēixié shuō rúguǒ tā jùjué fúcóng jiù bōduó tā de jìchéng quán。

He threatened to disinherit her if she refused to obey.
8
她威胁说如果他离开她，她就将他双重人格的生活方式公之于众。

tā wēixié shuō rúguǒ tā líkāi tā， tā jiù jiāng tā shuāngchóng réngé de shēnghuó fāngshì gōng zhī yú zhòng。

She threatened to publicly expose his double life if he left her.
9
他指控她曾威胁要挖出他的眼睛。

tā zhǐkòng tā céng wēixié yào wā chū tā de yǎnjing。

He has accused her of threatening to gouge his eyes out.
10
他们威胁将他驱逐出他的移居国。

tāmen wēixié jiāng tā qūzhú chū tā de yí jī guó。

They threatened to expel him from his adoptive country.
11
环保组织警告说，污染正在威胁当地的生态系统。

Huánbǎo zǔzhī jǐnggào shuō, wūrǎn zhèngzài wēixié dāngdì de shēngtài xìtǒng.

Environmental organizations warn that pollution is threatening the local ecosystem.
12
他的行为不断威胁到公司的声誉。

Tā de xíngwéi bùduàn wēixié dào gōngsī de shēngyù.

His actions continuously threaten the company's reputation.
13
网络攻击可能威胁国家安全，因此需要高度重视。

Wǎngluò gōngjí kěnéng wēixié guójiā ānquán, yīncǐ xūyào gāodù zhòngshì.

Cyber attacks may threaten national security, so they need to be taken very seriously.
14
他用暴露公司机密的方式威胁老板，以争取更高的职位。

Tā yòng bàolù gōngsī jīmì de fāngshì wēixié lǎobǎn, yǐ zhēngqǔ gèng gāo de zhíwèi.

He threatened his boss by exposing company secrets to secure a higher position.
15
环保组织警告说，污染正在威胁当地的生态系统。

Huánbǎo zǔzhī jǐnggào shuō, wūrǎn zhèngzài wēixié dāngdì de shēngtài xìtǒng.

Environmental organizations warn that pollution is threatening the local ecosystem.
16
他的行为不断威胁到公司的声誉。

Tā de xíngwéi bùduàn wēixié dào gōngsī de shēngyù.

His actions continuously threaten the company's reputation.
17
网络攻击可能威胁国家安全，因此需要高度重视。

Wǎngluò gōngjí kěnéng wēixié guójiā ānquán, yīncǐ xūyào gāodù zhòngshì.

Cyber attacks may threaten national security, so they need to be taken very seriously.
18
他用暴露公司机密的方式威胁老板，以争取更高的职位。

Tā yòng bàolù gōngsī jīmì de fāngshì wēixié lǎobǎn, yǐ zhēngqǔ gèng gāo de zhíwèi.

He threatened his boss by exposing company secrets to secure a higher position.
19
环保组织警告说，污染正在威胁当地的生态系统。

Huánbǎo zǔzhī jǐnggào shuō, wūrǎn zhèngzài wēixié dāngdì de shēngtài xìtǒng.

Environmental organizations warn that pollution is threatening the local ecosystem.
20
他的行为不断威胁到公司的声誉。

Tā de xíngwéi bùduàn wēixié dào gōngsī de shēngyù.

His actions continuously threaten the company's reputation.
21
网络攻击可能威胁国家安全，因此需要高度重视。

Wǎngluò gōngjí kěnéng wēixié guójiā ānquán, yīncǐ xūyào gāodù zhòngshì.

Cyber attacks may threaten national security, so they need to be taken very seriously.
22
他用暴露公司机密的方式威胁老板，以争取更高的职位。

Tā yòng bàolù gōngsī jīmì de fāngshì wēixié lǎobǎn, yǐ zhēngqǔ gèng gāo de zhíwèi.

He threatened his boss by exposing company secrets to secure a higher position.

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Frequently asked questions about 威胁

You can say, '他威胁我不去参加会议' (He threatened me not to attend the meeting).

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