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好恶 (hào wù) — likes and dislikes; taste (personal preference)

Definition

A fixed phrase (read hào'è) meaning 'likes and dislikes / personal taste' — a literary, written-style noun. It's about judging someone's preferences, not about enjoying something yourself.

noun
likes and dislikestaste (personal preference)

Examples

  • 好恶。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de hào wù.
    Everyone has their own likes and dislikes.
  • 好恶。
    Tā de hào wù hěn tè bié.
    His taste is very unique.
  • 好恶。
    Liǎo jiě bǐ cǐ de hào wù hěn zhòng yào.
    Understanding each other's likes and dislikes is important.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

好hǎolike
恶èdislike

The pairing of “好” (like) and “恶” (dislike) names personal preferences.

Characters in this word

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

好 joins 女 (woman) and 子 (child), understood as a woman with a child, linked to goodness or affection.

Open 好 →

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
Attitudes & Opinions

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