害 meaning and stroke order
To do harm to; to cause trouble to; harm
How to write 害, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 害
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to do harm to
- to cause trouble to
- harm
- evil
- calamity
How 害 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 宀 (roof), shared by 67 characters on this site.
How to remember 害
Picture a house 宀 on top, something growing wild 丰 in the middle, and a mouth 口 at the bottom. Harsh words from a mouth inside the home can do real harm, which is 害 (hài).
害 is mostly used inside words like 伤害 (shānghài, to hurt) and 危害 (wēihài, to endanger). It also works alone as a verb meaning to cause someone trouble. Example: 你害我迟到了。(Nǐ hài wǒ chídào le.) You made me late.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 害 with 割 (gē, to cut), which has the same left part plus the knife radical 刂 on the right. Also, the middle part is 丰 with the vertical stroke going down into 口, so do not write it as two separate pieces.
Common words with 害
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 害怕 | hàipà | to be afraid; to be scared | HSK 3 |
| 危害 | wēihài | to harm; to jeopardize; to endanger; harmful effect; damage | HSK 3 |
| 伤害 | shānghài | to injure; to harm | HSK 4 |
| 厉害 | lìhai | (used to describe sb or sth that makes a very strong impression, whether favorable or unfa | HSK 5 |
| 损害 | sǔnhài | harm; to damage | HSK 5 |
| 有害 | yǒu hài | destructive; harmful | HSK 5 |
| 灾害 | zāihài | calamity; disaster | HSK 5 |
| 杀害 | shāhài | to murder | HSK 7-9 |
| 害羞 | hàixiū | shy; embarrassed | HSK 7-9 |
| 受害人 | shòuhàirén | victim | HSK 7-9 |
| 迫害 | pòhài | to persecute | HSK 7-9 |
| 要害 | yàohài | vital part; (fig.) key point | HSK 7-9 |
| 受害 | shòuhài | to suffer damage, injury etc; damaged | HSK 7-9 |
| 害虫 | hàichóng | injurious insect; pest | HSK 7-9 |
害 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 害
Learning 害 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 害
How many strokes are in 害?
害 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 害 mean?
害 (hài) means to do harm to; to cause trouble to; harm. A common word with it is 害怕 (hàipà), meaning "to be afraid; to be scared".
How do you pronounce 害?
害 is pronounced hài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 害?
The radical of 害 is 宀, which carries the idea of "roof". Dictionaries list 害 under this radical.
Is 害 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 害 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Why does 害怕 mean to be afraid if 害 means harm?
In 害怕 (hàipà), 害 has a weakened sense of suffering or being affected, and 怕 means to fear. Together they simply mean to be scared. It is one of the most common words for fear in everyday speech.
Is 厉害 a positive or negative word?
It can be both. 厉害 (lìhai) describes something that makes a strong impression, so 你真厉害 means you are amazing, while 疼得厉害 means it hurts badly. Note that 害 is often read in the neutral tone in this word.