秽语 (huì yǔ) — obscene language; lewd speech; profanity

Definition

noun

obscene languagelewd speechprofanity

Examples

秽语。
Gōng gòng chǎng hé shǐ yòng huì yǔ shì bù wén míng de xíng wéi.
Using obscene language in public places is uncivilized behavior.
秽语。
Zhè bù diàn yǐng yīn hán yǒu dà liàng huì yǔ ér bèi jìn yìng.
This movie was banned from screening because it contains a large amount of obscene speech.
秽语。
Tā yīn zài wǎng luò shàng sàn bù huì yǔ ér bèi qǐ sù.
He was sued for spreading obscene words on the internet.

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.

秽huìobscene

语yǔlanguage

秽语 pairs 秽 (obscene) with 语 (language), meaning lewd speech or profanity.

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 穢; 秽 is its simplified writing.

禾歲穢

Meaning part形符xíngfú

禾禾hégrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

歲

歲suì穢⁰huì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 穢 pairs 禾 (grain) with 歲, which gave the sound; the simplified 秽 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 秽 →

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.

言吾語

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 →