孽

孼

niè

子 + 薛

Definitions

niè variant of 孽[niè]

niè son born of a concubine; disaster; sin; evil

Etymology phono-semantic

child

Semantic: 子 Phonetic: 薛

About

The character 孽 (niè) conveys strong negative meanings, including sin, evil, retribution, or wicked descendants. Its structure features the semantic radical 子 (zǐ, “child”) at the bottom, grounding the original sense in progeny, particularly children born of concubines or those bringing calamity to their family. The upper part resembles 薛 (xuē), serving as a phonetic component. The meaning gradually broadened from referring to an illegitimate or troublesome heir to encompass spiritual or moral wrongdoing, karmic debt, and disasters caused by human malice. It frequently appears in religious and philosophical texts to denote the negative consequences of wicked actions or inherent evil.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是他造的孽。

Zhè shì tā zào de niè.

This is the evil he committed.

你不要再造孽了。

Nǐ bùyào zài zào niè le.

You should not commit evil anymore.

他的行为真是造孽。

Tā de xíngwéi zhēnshi zào niè.

His behavior is truly evil.

这种孽行必须受到惩罚。

Zhè zhǒng niè xíng bìxū shòudào chéngfá.

Such evil deeds must be punished.

他一生造了许多孽，现在后悔了。

Tā yīshēng zàole xǔduō niè, xiànzài hòuhuǐ le.

He committed many evils in his life and now regrets it.

如果你继续造孽，终将自食其果。

Rúguǒ nǐ jìxù zào niè, zhōng jiāng zì shí qí guǒ.

If you continue to commit evil, you will eventually reap what you sow.

这场灾难是人类自己造的孽。

Zhè chǎng zīnàn shì rénlèi zìjǐ zào de niè.

This disaster is the evil that humanity itself has committed.

他深知自己造下的罪孽深重，无法逃脱良心的谴责。

Tā shēn zhī zìjǐ zào xià de zuìniè shēnzhòng, wúfǎ táotuō liángxīn de qiǎnzé.

He deeply knows that the sins he committed are grave, and he cannot escape the condemnation of his conscience.

Related Characters

Component: 子

Component: 薛

孽