Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
坏事 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
坏事huàishìbad thingHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #2673, Very Hard
坏事huàishìmisdeedHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #2673, Very Hard
坏事huàishìto ruin thingsHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #2673, Very Hard
huàishì(huai4shi4)huai shi T4
  1. 1bad thing
  2. 2misdeed
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

坏事(壞事)huàishì(huai4shi4)

坏事 (huài shì) refers to a bad thing or misdeed, often implying actions that lead to negative consequences. It can be used in contexts where someone's actions have caused trouble or harm, emphasizing moral judgment about the deed itself.

Strokes15Frequency#2673DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, discussing 坏事 often relates to the concept of moral integrity. Misdeeds are not only personal failures but can also reflect poorly on one's family or community, highlighting the importance of collective reputation.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'bad' (坏) event happening at a 'party' (事). Visualize someone spilling a drink and ruining the fun. The character 坏 (huài) has a broken structure, suggesting something that is damaged or not good, linking to its meaning of 'bad.'

Meanings of 坏事

huàishì(huai4shi4)
1bad thing
2misdeed
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 坏事 means.

About 坏事

坏事Simplified
壞事Traditional
15Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 坏事

JasonAmy

Podcast: 坏事

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 坏事

Quick Contrast

坏事 (huàishì) vs 恶事 (èshì) — use 坏事 for general bad deeds, while 恶事 implies more serious or malicious actions.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 坏事 with other similar phrases. It is typically used in informal contexts when discussing misdeeds or bad experiences. Be careful with the tones; mixing them up can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

While 坏事 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it can be associated with HSK Level 3, where students learn about expressing feelings and describing situations. Focus on using it in sentences that convey regret or criticism.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to use 坏事 in a positive context, such as saying '这是一件坏事' (This is a good thing), which is incorrect. Always use it to describe negative actions or consequences.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 坏事

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 坏事 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 坏事 to You

Let me explain 坏事 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 坏事 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 坏事?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 坏事 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
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component Characters

坏huàibad
HSK 27 strokes土
View full entry
事shìmatter
HSK 18 strokes亅
View full entry

How to say bad thing in Chinese

“bad thing” in Chinese is坏事huàishì

坏事 (huài shì) refers to a bad thing or misdeed, often implying actions that lead to negative consequences. It can be used in contexts where someone's actions have caused trouble or harm, emphasizing moral judgment about the deed itself.

When to use 坏事

Learners often confuse 坏事 with other similar phrases. It is typically used in informal contexts when discussing misdeeds or bad experiences. Be careful with the tones; mixing them up can change the meaning entirely.

坏事 or something close to it

坏事 (huàishì) vs 恶事 (èshì) — use 坏事 for general bad deeds, while 恶事 implies more serious or malicious actions.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is to use 坏事 in a positive context, such as saying '这是一件坏事' (This is a good thing), which is incorrect. Always use it to describe negative actions or consequences.

Write 坏事

坏
事

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 坏事?

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about 坏事

Typically, 坏事 is more suitable for casual conversation rather than formal writing, where more precise terms may be preferred.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 坏事?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab