毁

毀/燬/譭

huǐ

殳 + 𬛸

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

huǐ (verb) to destroy; to damage; to ruin

huǐ (verb) to defame; to slander

Etymology

Simplified form of 毀. Phonosemantic compound. 毇 represents the sound and 土 represents the meaning.

About

毁 is the simplified form of the traditional character 毀, a phonosemantic compound combining the meaning element 土 ('earth') and the sound element 毇 (huǐ). The 土 component suggests breaking something down to the ground, while 毇 is itself built from 臼 (mortar), 工 (tool), and 殳 (a hand wielding a weapon), evoking forceful pounding and striking. Together they convey destruction through physical force, demolishing structures or objects, and extend figuratively to abstract ruin, such as destroying someone's reputation through defamation or slander.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

战争会毁掉很多家庭。

Zhànzhēng huì huǐdiào hěnduō jiātíng.

War can destroy many families.

大火毁灭了整片森林。

Dàhuǒ huǐmiè le zhěng piàn sēnlín.

The big fire destroyed the entire forest.

别让雨水毁坏了你的画。

Bié ràng yǔshuǐ huǐhuài le nǐ de huà.

Don't let the rain ruin your painting.

谣言毁了他的名誉。

Yáoyán huǐle tā de míngyù.

Rumors ruined his reputation.

这座古迹在战乱中被毁了。

Zhè zuò gǔjì zài zhànluàn zhōng bèi huǐ le.

This historic site was destroyed during the war.

过度开发会毁坏自然环境。

Guòdù kāifā huì huǐhuài zìrán huánjìng.

Overdevelopment can damage the natural environment.

他一时冲动，毁掉了自己的前途。

Tā yīshí chōngdòng, huǐdiàole zìjǐ de qiántú.

In a moment of impulse, he ruined his own future.

他的鲁莽行为毁掉了整个团队多年的努力。

Tā de lǔmǎng xíngwéi huǐdiàole zhěnggè tuánduì duōnián de nǔlì.

His reckless actions destroyed many years of effort by the entire team.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 殳

Component: 𬛸

毁