厉害 (lìhai): awesome

Meanings

1 awesome
2 formidable
3 terrible; severe

Characters

厉

harm (here: neutral suffix)

Examples

你太厉害了！

Nǐ tài lìhai le!

You're awesome!

这次感冒很厉害。

Zhècì gǎnmào hěn lìhai.

This cold is really bad.

她的数学很厉害。

Tā de shùxué hěn lìhai.

Her math is really impressive.

Tips

usage

厉害 is one of the most versatile Chinese adjectives. Positive: 你好厉害 (you are amazing!). Negative: 疼得很厉害 (it hurts terribly). Context is everything.

grammar

The second syllable is pronounced with a neutral tone: lì hai, not lì hài.

In Pop Culture

厉害了，我的国！ Lìhai le, wǒ de guó!

Amazing, my country!

2018 documentary title turned internet meme about national pride

Stroke Order

厉 lì

害 hài

Related Words

严厉 yánlì HSK 5 #5,772

severe / strict / harsh

害 hài HSK 5 #1,494

harm; evil / to cause harm; to be afraid

损害 sǔnhài HSK 5 #7,228

to harm; to damage / to impair; to undermine

有害 yǒuhài HSK 5 #9,001

harmful; destructive; detrimental

受害者 shòuhàizhě #1,257

victim / casualty

伤害 shānghài HSK 4 #591

to injure / to harm / to hurt (physically or emotionally)

害怕 hàipà HSK 3 #529

to be afraid; to be scared / to fear; to dread

杀害 shāhài HSK 7-9 #1,815

to murder / to kill (with malicious intent)

受害人 shòuhàirén HSK 7-9 #1,972

victim / injured party

陷害 xiànhài #3,472

to frame (someone) / to set up / to falsely incriminate