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恶 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
恶ěto hateHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěto loatheHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěashamedHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěto fearHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěevilHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěto slanderHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěfierceHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěviciousHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěuglyHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěcoarseHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěto harmHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěbad, evil, wicked; to hate, to loathe; foul, nauseatingHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ěesp. used in names of chemical componentsHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èto hateHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èto loatheHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èashamedHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èto fearHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èevilHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èto slanderHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èfierceHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èviciousHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èuglyHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶ècoarseHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èto harmHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èbad, evil, wicked; to hate, to loathe; foul, nauseatingHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶èesp. used in names of chemical componentsHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùto hateHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùto loatheHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùashamedHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùto fearHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùevilHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùto slanderHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùfierceHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùviciousHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùuglyHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùcoarseHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùto harmHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùbad, evil, wicked; to hate, to loathe; foul, nauseatingHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
恶wùesp. used in names of chemical componentsHSK 7, a, 10 strokes, radical 心, rank #2888, Very Hard
è(e4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1to hate
  2. 2to loathe
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

恶(噁)è(e4)

The character 恶 (ě) primarily conveys meanings associated with evil, hatred, and unpleasantness. It is often used in contexts that describe something or someone as vicious, fierce, or morally bad. Additionally, it can refer to feelings of loathing or disgust, making it versatile in both emotional and descriptive contexts.

Strokes10Radical心Frequency#2888DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of evil (恶) is often discussed in the context of morality and ethics, particularly in literature and philosophy. The duality of good and evil is a prevalent theme in traditional stories and teachings, reflecting societal values.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fierce animal (like a wolf) that you fear and loathe (恶). The character has a radical that resembles a heart (心) at the bottom, symbolizing the strong negative emotions you feel towards something evil or ugly. Picture this fierce wolf as a representation of your strongest fears, making the connection between the radical and the character's meaning memorable.

Meanings of 恶

è(e4)
primary
1to hate
2to loathe
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 恶

恶Simplified
噁Traditional
10Strokes
心Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2888Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 恶

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Podcast: 恶

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 恶

Quick Contrast

恶 (è, evil) vs 坏 (huài, bad) — use 恶 for moral or intense negative connotations, while 坏 is more general.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 恶 (ě) with 惡 (è), which has similar meanings but can differ in usage contexts. Remember that 恶 is typically used in more informal or everyday language, while 惡 may appear in literary contexts. Be cautious with the tone; using the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 恶 (ě) may not appear in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with HSK Level 3 words like 恨 (hèn, to hate) and 坏 (huài, bad). Focus on the emotional nuances of words expressing negative feelings, as they often appear in conversations about morality or personal experiences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use the wrong tone, saying 恶 (è) instead of 恶 (ě), which changes the meaning entirely. Additionally, they may confuse it with similar words; for instance, saying '我觉得这个人很坏' (I think this person is very bad) instead of using 恶 to emphasize personal feelings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 恶

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Etymology of 恶

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 亚 represents the sound. Simplified form of 惡.

Memory Hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)心
+
Phonetic (sound)亚
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 恶

Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 亚 represents the sound. Simplified form of 惡.

  1. 1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half亚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayheart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 恶? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 恶?

Decomposition of 恶

IDS Structure⿱亚心
恶Full Character
=
亚ya4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 恶?

How to say to hate in Chinese

“to hate” in Chinese is恶ě

The character 恶 (ě) primarily conveys meanings associated with evil, hatred, and unpleasantness. It is often used in contexts that describe something or someone as vicious, fierce, or morally bad. Additionally, it can refer to feelings of loathing or disgust, making it versatile in both emotional and descriptive contexts.

When to use 恶

Learners often confuse 恶 (ě) with 惡 (è), which has similar meanings but can differ in usage contexts. Remember that 恶 is typically used in more informal or everyday language, while 惡 may appear in literary contexts. Be cautious with the tone; using the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings.

恶 or something close to it

恶 (è, evil) vs 坏 (huài, bad) — use 恶 for moral or intense negative connotations, while 坏 is more general.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use the wrong tone, saying 恶 (è) instead of 恶 (ě), which changes the meaning entirely. Additionally, they may confuse it with similar words; for instance, saying '我觉得这个人很坏' (I think this person is very bad) instead of using 恶 to emphasize personal feelings.

Write 恶

恶

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 恶

恶 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 13 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 lessons2
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

因天气____劣，航班全部取消。

Due to severe weather, all flights have been cancelled.

Common Confusions with 恶

恶vs呃
è

Similar sound but different usage and meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to hate"?

or

Example Sentences for 恶 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
就好像是你的意见、你的好恶根本不重要似的。

jiù hǎo xiàng shì nǐ de yì jiàn、 、 nǐ de hǎo è gēn běn bù zhòng yào sì。

It's as if your opinions, your likes and dislikes just don't count.
2
他是伊娃最深恶痛绝的那种人中的典型。

tā shì yī wá zuì shēn è tòng jué de nà zhǒng rén zhōng de diǎn xíng。

He was the quintessence of all that Eva most deeply loathed.
3
制造商之间的恶性价格战已将利润削减到了最低。

zhì zào shāng zhī jiān de è xìng jià gé zhàn yǐ jiāng lì rùn xiāo jiǎn dào le zuì dī。

A vicious price war between manufacturers has cut margins to the bone.
4
必须将参与这一恶行的凶手绳之以法。

bì xū jiāng cān yǔ zhè yī è háng de xiōng shǒu shéng zhī yǐ fǎ。

The perpetrators of this evil deed must be brought to justice.
5
刘易斯先生对这一切不以为意，令人厌恶。

liú yì sī xiān shēng duì zhè yī qiē bù yǐ wéi yì， ， líng rén yàn。

Mr. Lewis takes an insufferably glib attitude toward it all.
6
他用棒球棒恶意损毁了一辆汽车。

tā yòng bàng qiú bàng è yì sǔn huǐ le yī liàng qì chē。

He maliciously damaged a car with a baseball bat.
7
他为某些思想较守旧的官员所憎恶。

tā wéi mǒu xiē sī xiǎng jiào shǒu jiù de guān yuán suǒ zēng è。

He is loathed by some of the more traditionally minded officers.
8
在即将到来的选举中，我们将面临一场恶斗。

zài jí jiāng dào lái de xuǎn jǔ zhōng， ， wǒ mén jiāng miàn lín yī cháng è。

We'll face a tough fight in the upcoming election.
9
除非受恶劣天气干扰，南非邮船一般在星期五上午抵达。

chú fēi shòu è liè tiān qì gān rǎo， ， nán fēi yóu chuán yī bān zài xīng qī wǔ shàng wǔ dǐ。

The South African mailboat arrived on Friday mornings unless bad weather intervened.
10
关于这件事正有一则恶意的谣言在流传。

guān yú zhè jiàn shì zhèng yǒu yī zé è yì de yáo yán zài liú chuán。

There's a nasty sort of rumour going around about it.

Word Family of 恶

Words Containing This Character20
恶心ěxinnausea惡心
邪恶xié’èsinister邪惡
恶èevil惡
恶魔demon惡魔
恶化èhuàto worsen惡化
恶劣èlièvile惡劣
罪恶zuìècrime罪惡
可恶kěwùvile可惡
恶意èyìmalice惡意
厌恶yànwùto loathe厭惡
恶性èxìngmalignant惡性
恶梦nightmare惡夢
恶作剧mischief惡作劇
恶毒malicious惡毒
恶性肿瘤malignant tumor惡性腫瘤
恶棍scoundrel惡棍
丑恶chǒu’èugly醜惡
恶人evil person惡人
万恶everything that is evil萬惡
险恶dangerous險惡
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 恶心 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 恶

恶 (è) and 惡 (è) are two forms of the same character, with 恶 being the simplified version commonly used in Mainland China. 惡 is the traditional form used in places like Taiwan and Hong Kong. They both share the same meanings and usage.

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