恶果 (è guǒ) — a disastrous outcome; an evil consequence | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary noun for the bad consequences that follow bad actions (often with a moral or causal sense: 'you reap what you sow'). Almost never used for everyday outcomes — use 后果 or 结果 for neutral consequences.

noun

a disastrous outcomean evil consequence

Examples

恶果。
Tā zì shí è guǒ.
He reaped the evil consequences of his own actions.
恶果。
Zhàn zhēng de è guǒ zuì zhōng luò zài le píng mín shēn shàng.
The disastrous results of the war ultimately fell on civilians.
恶果。
Zhè zhǒng bú fù zé rèn de xíng wéi chí zǎo huì jiē chū è guǒ.
This kind of irresponsible behavior will sooner or later produce evil consequences.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

“恶” gives the sense of evil or bad, and “果” the outcome, meaning a bad result.

Characters in this word

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.

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

果 originally drew fruits hanging on a tree.

Appears in

Abstract Concepts Cause, Effect & Logic

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