嫌恶 (xián wù) — to detest, to loathe; (noun) detestation, loathing

Definition

嫌恶 (xiánwù) means 'to detest / loathe' — stronger and more literary than the everyday 讨厌. Used as a verb with an object and as a noun for the feeling itself.

verb
to detestto loathe
noun
detestationloathing

Examples

  • 嫌恶。
    Tā fēi cháng xián wù zhè zhǒng xíng wéi.
    He greatly detests this kind of behavior.
  • 嫌恶。
    Tā xián wù dì kàn le tā yì yǎn.
    She cast a loathing glance at him.
  • 嫌恶。
    Tā nèi xīn yǒu yì zhǒng shēn shēn de xián wù.
    He has a deep loathing in his heart.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

嫌xiándislike
恶èhate

嫌 (dislike) and 恶 (hate) stand side by side to express strong detestation.

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
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
兼
兼jiān嫌xián
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 女 connects the character to women, while the right part 兼 gives its sound.

Open 嫌 →

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 →

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