作恶多端 (zuò è duō duān) — to commit all kinds of evil; to be guilty of many wicked deeds

Definition

Four-character idiom for someone who has committed many wicked acts — emphasizes the *quantity and variety* of evil deeds, not a single crime. Strongly negative, used for habitual offenders or villains.

idiom
to commit all kinds of evilto be guilty of many wicked deeds

Examples

  • 作恶多端。
    Zhè ge zuò è duō duān de zuì fàn zhōng yú bèi zhuā zhù le.
    This criminal who had committed many evil deeds was finally caught.
  • 作恶多端，。
    Tā zuò è duō duān, zuì zhōng dé dào le yīng yǒu de chéng fá.
    He committed many evil deeds and eventually got the punishment he deserved.
  • 作恶多端，。
    Diàn yǐng lǐ de fǎn pài zuò è duō duān, ràng rén hèn zhī rù gǔ.
    The villain in the movie committed all kinds of evil, making people hate him deeply.

Origin

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

多 originally showed two pieces of meat placed together; the repeated meat shape gives the sense of many.

Open 多 →

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
立立lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
耑
耑zhuān端duān
Same sound today

端 is made by putting 立 beside 耑. The 立 part is connected to the meaning, and 耑 gives the sound.

Open 端 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.