坏 huài — bad; spoiled; bad
我的自行车坏了。Wǒ de zì xíng chē huài le.My bicycle is broken.
Common words: 坏人 (huài rén)、坏处 (huài chu)、破坏 (pò huài)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "bad"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "bad", including 坏 (huài), 坏 (huài), 臭 (chòu / xiù). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "bad" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 坏 (huài), 坏 (huài), 臭 (chòu / xiù) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span huài, chòu, xiù — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 坏 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 坏 huàibad; spoiled; badUseful words: 坏人, 坏处
- 坏 huàibad; spoiled; badUseful words: 坏人, 坏处
- 臭 chòu / xiùstench; stink; smelly; to smell (bad); sense of smell; smell badUseful words: 发臭, 体臭
Common words for these 3 "bad" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 坏 (huài) — so "bad" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
坏人huài rénbad person; villain坏处huài chuharm; troubles破坏pò huàidestruction; damage; to wreck; to break坏人huài rénbad person; villain坏处huài chuharm; troubles破坏pò huàidestruction; damage; to wreck; to break发臭fā chòusmelly; to smell bad体臭tǐ chòu(unpleasant) body odor臭美chòu měigreatly pleased with oneself; vain; conceited (used as an insult or teasingly)
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "bad".
坏 huài — bad; spoiled; bad
我的自行车坏了。Wǒ de zì xíng chē huài le.My bicycle is broken.
Common words: 坏人 (huài rén)、坏处 (huài chu)、破坏 (pò huài)
臭 chòu / xiù — stench; stink; smelly; to smell (bad); sense of smell; smell bad
垃圾堆放久了会发出难闻的臭味。Lā jī duī fàng jiǔ le huì fā chū nán wén de chòu wèi.Garbage left too long gives off an unpleasant stench.
Common words: 发臭 (fā chòu)、体臭 (tǐ chòu)、臭美 (chòu měi)
All 3 characters
Open 坏、坏、臭 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.