性恶

性惡
xìng'è
noun

Meanings

  1. 1 the doctrine that human nature is evil (Xunzi)
  2. 2 innate badness of human nature

Examples

Xúnzǐ zhǔzhāng xìng'è lùn.
Xunzi advocated the 'nature is evil' theory.
Xìng'è hé xìngshàn shì Zhōngguó zhéxué de jīngdiǎn zhēnglùn.
'Nature is evil' versus 'nature is good' is a classic debate in Chinese philosophy.
Ànzhào xìng'è de guāndiǎn, rén xūyào lǐfǎ lái yuēshù.
According to the 'nature is evil' view, people need ritual and law to restrain them.

Tips

history
Xunzi (荀子, c. 310-235 BCE) argued that humans are born with selfish desires and only become moral through education and ritual. Directly opposes Mencius's 性善 (innately good) position — the classic Warring States debate on human nature.

Stroke Order

xìng
è