虐 (nüè) - Cruel, tyrannical, oppressive & to mistreat, to abuse

虐Tone 4

nüè ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

虐 · nüè

Cruel, tyrannical, oppressive;

to mistreat, to abuse;

violent.

Cruel, tyrannical, oppressiveto mistreat, to abuseviolent.

Usage highlights

Cruel tyrannyTo abuseViolent and unprincipledCruel and ruthlessTo tyrannize the peopleAbusive words

Synonyms

  • 暴— violent, cruel
  • 残— brutal, savage
  • 酷— cruel, ruthless

Antonyms

  • 仁— benevolent, kind
  • 慈— compassionate, merciful
  • 善— good, virtuous

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The tyrant's cruel rule (暴虐统治).
  • Animal abuse is illegal (虐待动物).
  • He suffered from domestic violence (家庭暴力).
  • The storm was violent and destructive (暴虐的暴风雨).

Collocations

  • Cruel tyranny(暴虐)
  • To abuse(虐待)
  • Violent and unprincipled(虐政)
  • Cruel and ruthless(虐杀)
  • To tyrannize the people(虐民)
  • Abusive words(虐语)

Idioms

  • Tyrannical and cruel(暴虐无道)
  • Cruel oppression(助纣为虐)
  • Extremely cruel and vicious(虐人害物)
  • To bully the weak and fear the strong(虐弱畏强)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, '虐' represents the antithesis of benevolent rule and is strongly condemned.
  • Historically associated with tyrannical rulers who oppressed their people, serving as a warning against abuse of power.
  • The character structure suggests a tiger (虍) threatening a human, visually representing oppression.

FAQ