毒辣 (dú là) — cruel, sinister, vicious

Definition

Used for people, methods, or hearts that are deliberately cruel and calculating — stronger than 狠, focused on the sinister, calculated nature of the cruelty rather than raw fierceness.

adjective
cruelsinistervicious

Examples

  • 毒辣，。
    Tā yòng de shǒu duàn shí fēn dú là, lìng rén bù chǐ.
    The methods he used were extremely vicious and contemptible.
  • 毒辣，。
    Zhè ge fǎn pài jué sè xīn cháng dú là, háo wú lián mǐn zhī xīn.
    This villain has a cruel and vicious heart, without any compassion.
  • ，毒辣。
    Bié kàn tā wài biǎo wēn hé, qí shí nèi xīn shí fēn dú là.
    Don't be fooled by his gentle appearance; his heart is actually very cruel and sinister.

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.

毒dúpoisonous/cruel
辣làharsh/spicy

毒 (poisonous/cruel) and 辣 (harsh/spicy) stand side by side to describe viciousness.

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
屮屮chèvegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
毐
毐ǎi毒dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

Open 毒 →

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
辛辛xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
束
剌là辣là
Same sound today

辣 is built from 辛, which carries the meaning, and 束, written in full as 剌, which carries the sound.

Open 辣 →

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