凶神恶煞 (xiōng shén è shà) — devils; fiends; extremely ferocious person | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An idiom meaning a ferociously evil person — 'a fiend, a devil in human form.' Used of someone's terrifying appearance or demeanor, not for mild unpleasantness.

idiom

devilsfiendsextremely ferocious person

Examples

凶神恶煞，。
Tā shēng qì de shí hou jiǎn zhí xiàng gè xiōng shén è shà, méi rén gǎn kào jìn.
When he gets angry, he looks like a ferocious demon — no one dares to come near.
凶神恶煞，。
Nà ge hēi bāng lǎo dà yì liǎn xiōng shén è shà de yàng zi, ràng rén hài pà.
That gang leader had a fiendish look on his face, frightening people.
凶神恶煞，。
Bié kàn tā cháng dé xiàng xiōng shén è shà, qí shí xīn dì hěn shàn liáng.
Don't judge by his ferocious appearance — he actually has a kind heart.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

凶神fierce spirits

凶xiōngfierce神shénspirits

偏正Modifier + head

恶煞evil fiends

恶èevil煞shàfiends

偏正Modifier + head

凶神 are fierce spirits and 恶煞 are evil fiends, giving devils or fiends.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

凶 originally drew a hole with a lump of rock, mud, stone, or bamboo in it.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

示示shìgod; deity

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

申shēn神shén

Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 惡; 恶 is its simplified writing.

亞心惡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

亞

亞yā惡è

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 惡 pairs 心 (heart) as the meaning part with 亞 (yā) as the sound part; the simplified 恶 is a later shorthand.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases

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