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丑恶 (chǒu è) — ugly, repulsive (of behavior, phenomena, human nature)

Definition

丑恶 describes moral or behavioral ugliness — 'repulsive, vile' (behavior, trends, human nature), not physical appearance. For physical looks, use 难看 or 丑陋; for 'hateful' use 可恶.

adjective
uglyrepulsive (of behavior, phenomena, human nature)

Examples

  • 丑恶。
    Zhè zhǒng chǒu è de zuò fǎ ràng rén wú fǎ jiē shòu.
    This kind of repulsive practice is unacceptable.
  • 丑恶。
    Jiē lù shè huì zhōng de chǒu è fēng qì xū yào yǒng qì.
    Exposing the ugly trends in society requires courage.
  • 丑恶。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng shēn kè jiē shì le rén xìng de chǒu è.
    This movie deeply reveals the ugliness of human nature.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

丑chǒuugly
恶èevil

丑 and 恶 both describe unpleasant and bad qualities, together meaning ugly and repulsive.

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 醜; 丑 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 丑 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 醜; in others (丑) it is 丑.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鬼鬼guǐghost, demon
Sound part声符shēngfú
酉
酉yǒu醜chǒu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 醜 uses 鬼, a ghost or demon, to show ugliness and 酉 for sound; that shape is about 醜, not about 丑.

Open 丑 →

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.

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.

Open 恶 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6AppearanceGood & Bad

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