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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) T1
  1. 1to threaten
  2. 2to menace
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Podcast: 威胁

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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

Complete the Sentence

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。

zhè yàng de fǎ guī kě yǐ bǎo hù xiāo fèi zhě miǎn shòu yǒu hài huò zhě wēi xiǎn yào pǐn de wēi xié。

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， zǐ ， zhè bù guān nǐ！” de shì ！” mài kè luò sī jī。

"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 wǒ mén gǔn dàn， ， yú shì wǒ mén wēi xié tā de hái。

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。

. . lǎo shī mén bèi rén yòng cài dāo wēi， xié ， zāo shòu rén shēn qīn fàn hé yán yǔ。

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 wéi le bāng zhù péng yǒu ér ràng zì jǐ de shì yè shòu dào wēi xié。

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 qǐ yè nèi bù， ， jù bù fú cóng zhǐ líng de gōng rén huì miàn lín zāo jiě gù de wēi。

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 wēi xié shuō rú guǒ tā jù jué fú cóng jiù bāo duó tā de jì chéng 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 wēi xié shuō rú guǒ tā lí kāi tā， ， tā jiù jiāng tā shuāng zhòng rén gé de shēng huó fāng shì gōng zhī yú。

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 zhǐ kòng tā zēng wēi xié yào wā chū tā de yǎn jīng。

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。

tā mén wēi xié jiāng tā qū zhú chū tā de yí jū 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.

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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