恶语 (è yǔ) — vicious slander; abusive language

Definition

A literary/formal term for harsh, hurtful words meant to attack someone. Stronger than everyday terms like 脏话 (vulgar language) — 恶语 emphasizes words deliberately intended to wound.

noun
vicious slanderabusive language

Examples

  • 恶语，。
    Tā zǒng shuō è yǔ, hěn shāng rén xīn.
    He always says abusive words, very hurtful.
  • 恶语，。
    è yǔ Shāng rén, hòu guǒ hěn yán zhòng.
    Vicious words hurt people; the consequences are serious.
  • 恶语。
    Wǒ men yīng gāi bì miǎn shǐ yòng è yǔ.
    We should avoid using abusive language.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

恶èbad
语yǔwords

恶 marks something bad or vicious, and 语 means words, together giving abusive speech.

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 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 →

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →

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