虐 meaning and stroke order
Cruel, harsh, oppressive
How to write 虐, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 9
Meaning of 虐
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) brutal; oppressive; harsh
- (literary) disaster; catastrophe
How 虐 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A tiger 虍 baring its claws 彐.
Radical: 虍 (tiger), shared by 13 characters on this site.
How to remember 虐
The top part 虍 is the tiger head, and 彐 underneath looks like a claw. A tiger baring its claws at you is the picture of cruelty, which is what 虐 (nüè) means.
虐 is a bound form, so it almost always appears inside words like 虐待 (nüèdài, to mistreat) or 肆虐 (sìnüè, to wreak havoc). 肆虐 is often used for storms, diseases, or wars. Example: 他从小被父母虐待。(Tā cóngxiǎo bèi fùmǔ nüèdài.) He was mistreated by his parents from childhood.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 虐 (nüè) with 虎 (hǔ, tiger), which shares the 虍 top but has 几 underneath instead of 彐. Also note that 彐 here faces the other way in handwriting, opening to the left like a claw, and the pinyin needs the ü: nüè, not nuè.
Common words with 虐
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
虐 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 虐
How many strokes are in 虐?
虐 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 虐 mean?
虐 (nüè) means cruel, harsh, oppressive. A common word with it is 虐待 (nüèdài), meaning "to mistreat; to maltreat".
How do you pronounce 虐?
虐 is pronounced nüè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 虐?
The radical of 虐 is 虍, which carries the idea of "tiger". Dictionaries list 虐 under this radical.
Is 虐 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 虐 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do I type nüè on a pinyin keyboard?
Most pinyin input methods use v in place of ü, so type nve or nue. Both usually bring up 虐.
What is the difference between 虐待 and 欺负?
虐待 (nüèdài) means serious, cruel abuse, such as violence against a child or an animal. 欺负 (qīfu) is milder and means to bully or pick on someone, often used in everyday situations.