慝 (tè) - Evil, wickedness, vice & to conceal, hide

慝Tone 4

tè ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

檀婷

慝 · tè

Evil, wickedness, vice;

to conceal, hide;

hidden evil intentions.

Evil, wickedness, viceto conceal, hidehidden evil intentions.

Usage highlights

Evil and wickednessHidden faultsTo conceal evilTo eliminate wickednessWicked officialsSecret vices

Synonyms

  • 恶— evil, wickedness
  • 邪— evil, wicked
  • 奸— treacherous, evil

Antonyms

  • 善— good, virtuous
  • 正— upright, correct
  • 德— virtue, moral excellence

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He concealed his evil intentions (心怀奸慝).
  • The ruler expelled the wicked (去恶除慝).
  • They exposed hidden vices (发奸擿伏).
  • One must guard against hidden faults (防微杜渐).

Collocations

  • Evil and wickedness(奸慝)
  • Hidden faults(隐慝)
  • To conceal evil(藏慝)
  • To eliminate wickedness(除慝)
  • Wicked officials(邪慝)
  • Secret vices(阴慝)

Idioms

  • To expose hidden wickedness(发奸擿伏)
  • To eliminate evil and remove wickedness(去恶除慝)
  • To guard against hidden faults(防微杜渐)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese texts, 慝 often refers to hidden moral flaws or concealed wickedness that corrupts from within.
  • The character appears in Confucian classics warning rulers to be vigilant against ministers with hidden agendas.
  • In traditional moral philosophy, 慝 represents the kind of vice that is not openly displayed but works in secret.

FAQ