孽 (niè) - Evil, sin & disaster, calamity

孽Tone 4

niè ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

念柠

孽 · niè

Evil, sin;

disaster, calamity;

illegitimate child;

the consequences of wrongdoing.

Evil, sindisaster, calamityillegitimate child

Usage highlights

evil deedssinful karmadisaster and calamityillegitimate childevil spiritfated ill

Synonyms

  • 罪— crime, sin
  • 恶— evil, wickedness
  • 灾— disaster, calamity

Antonyms

  • 福— blessing, good fortune
  • 善— goodness, virtue
  • 祥— auspicious, lucky

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He suffered the consequences of his evil deeds (作孽).
  • The family was plagued by misfortune (孽缘).
  • The villain was finally punished for his sins (罪孽).
  • She was considered the black sheep of the family (孽子).

Collocations

  • evil deeds(孽障)
  • sinful karma(罪孽)
  • disaster and calamity(灾孽)
  • illegitimate child(孽子)
  • evil spirit(妖孽)
  • fated ill-fated relationship(孽缘)

Idioms

  • A spawn of evil(孽种)
  • Evil consequences from past misdeeds(孽报)
  • The evil and the righteous are incompatible(正邪不两立，忠奸如冰炭 - implied context)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Buddhist and folk contexts, 'nie' often refers to negative karma accumulated from bad deeds, which leads to suffering.
  • Traditionally used to describe illegitimate offspring, carrying a strong social stigma.
  • Frequently appears in literature and drama to denote villains, calamities, or tragic flaws.

FAQ