厌恶
Traditional: 厭惡
yàn wù HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

他厌恶说谎的人。
Tā yànwù shuōhuǎng de rén.
He detests people who lie.
她厌恶这种吵闹的环境。
Tā yànwù zhè zhǒng chǎonào de huánjìng.
She abhors this noisy environment.
我厌恶不公平的行为。
Wǒ yànwù bù gōngpíng de xíngwéi.
I detest unfair behavior.
我厌恶谎言。
Wǒ yànwù huǎngyán.
I detest lies.
她厌恶噪音。
Tā yànwù zàoyīn.
She is disgusted with noise.

💡 Memory Tip

Break the characters: 厌 (yàn) means 'to detest' and 恶 (wù) here means 'to hate'. Think of it as 'detest-hate'—a double reinforcement of strong dislike. You can associate it with a reaction to something you find morally 'vile' or 'wicked' (恶 can also mean evil).

📝 Usage Notes

This word is relatively formal and is commonly used in both written and spoken Chinese, though it is more frequent in writing. It is suitable for expressing strong disapproval in serious contexts, such as discussing unethical behavior, disgusting actions, or things one finds deeply repulsive.

📖 Grammar Points

Often used with verbs like 感到 (gǎndào, to feel) or 表示 (biǎoshì, to express). It can be followed by 对...感到厌恶 (duì... gǎndào yànwù) to specify the target of disgust, as in the example sentence.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, openly expressing strong negative emotions like 厌恶 may be considered impolite in some social situations, so it's often used to describe reactions to serious transgressions rather than minor annoyances.

🔄 Similar Words

讨厌 (tǎoyàn) also means 'to dislike' but is more casual and less intense. 憎恶 (zēngwù) is similar in intensity to 厌恶 but can imply more active hatred or resentment. 厌恶 focuses more on the feeling of disgust and repulsion.

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