暗害 (àn hài) — to assassinate secretly; to murder covertly; to betray; to stab someone in the back

Definition

暗害 (àn hài) means to harm someone secretly — either by covert murder (assassination) or by betrayal ('stab in the back'). Both senses share the idea of hidden, treacherous action against a person.

verb
to assassinate secretlyto murder covertlyto betrayto stab someone in the back

Examples

  • 暗害。
    Dí rén àn hài le nà wèi lǐng xiù.
    The enemy assassinated that leader.
  • ，暗害。
    Tā biǎo miàn shàng zhī chí nǐ, shí jì shang què zài àn hài nǐ.
    He appears to support you, but actually stabs you in the back.
  • 暗害。
    Jǐng fāng chá chū le yì qǐ àn hài àn.
    The police uncovered a plot murder case.

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.

暗ànsecretly
害hàiharm

暗 adds secrecy to 害, meaning to harm someone covertly.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
音
音yīn暗àn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暗 pairs 日 (sun) with 音, which gives the sound.

Open 暗 →

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丯
丯jiè害hài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

害 was borrowed purely for its sound. Its old picture, possibly a house rafter, is unrelated to harm.

Open 害 →

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