祸水

禍水

huòshuǐ

noun #26,569

Meanings

1 source of calamity
2 femme fatale (historically used of women blamed for disasters)

Characters

disaster; calamity; misfortune

water; flowing thing

Examples

HSK 6

这场战争的祸水早已埋下。

Zhè chǎng zhànzhēng de huòshuǐ zǎoyǐ mái xià.

The seeds of disaster for this war were sown long ago.

HSK 7-9

旧时代，人们常把祸水归咎于女性。

Jiùshídài, rénmen cháng bǎ huòshuǐ guījiù yú nǚxìng.

In the old days, people often blamed women for being the source of calamity.

Tips

culture

祸水 is most commonly encountered in the phrase 祸水红颜 or allusions to 红颜祸水 (beautiful women as sources of disaster), a misogynistic trope in classical Chinese history and literature. Its use today is often ironic or critical.

Stroke Order

祸 huò

水 shuǐ