肆虐

sìnüè

verb #16,532

Meanings

1 to wreak havoc
2 to devastate; to ravage

Characters

unbridled; wanton

cruel; tyrannical

Examples

台风在沿海地区肆虐。

Táifēng zài yánhǎi dìqū sìnüè.

The typhoon ravaged the coastal areas.

病毒在全球肆虐了好几个月。

Bìngdú zài quánqiú sìnüè le hǎojǐ ge yuè.

The virus wreaked havoc around the world for several months.

Tips

register

肆虐 is a formal/literary word commonly seen in news reports about natural disasters, epidemics, and war.

memory

肆 means 'unbridled' and 虐 means 'cruel' — unbridled cruelty ravaging everything in its path.

Stroke Order

肆 sì

虐 nüè