害 (hài) — (verb) to harm, to cause trouble to; (noun) harm, evil, calamity
Definition
As a verb, 害 means 'to harm' (a person or thing); as a noun, it means the harm or evil itself. Stronger and more literary than the everyday 坏处 (just 'drawback'), and pairs with objects like 人/身体 more than the abstract 坏处 does.
verb
to harmto cause trouble to
noun
harmevilcalamity
Examples
- Xī yān hài rénSmoking harms people.
- Xī yān de hài chù hěn duōSmoking has many harms.
- 害，。Bié hài wǒ le, wǒ zhēn de hěn máng.Don't bother me, I'm really busy.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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.
Grammar
Appears in
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