huài
adjective HSK 1 #433

Meanings

  1. 1 bad
  2. 2 broken
  3. 3 spoiled

Examples

HSK 1
Zhè ge rén hěn huài.
This person is very bad.
HSK 1
Diànnǎo huài le.
The computer is broken.
HSK 3
Zhè ge píngguǒ huài le.
This apple has gone bad.

Tips

grammar
can mean 'broken' (for things), 'spoiled' (for food), or 'ruined' (for situations). The indicates a change of state.

Components

radical
earth; soil
Left earth radical - the indexing component. The simplified was rebuilt from the cursive shape of traditional (which had a much more elaborate right side meaning to ruin/demolish). here carries the flavor of crumbling soil, dirt-pile, things falling apart and reduced to mud.
phonetic
not; no
Right - a clean visual mnemonic ( + = 'not earth/not good') even though etymologically it's a stand-in for the much more complex right side of . The negation reading lines up beautifully with the 'bad/broken' meaning. Sound-wise, bù → huài has no direct relation; treat as a memory hook rather than a phonetic.

Stroke Order

huài