虐 (nüè): to abuse; to mistreat; to tyran…

Meanings

1 to abuse; to mistreat; to tyrannize
2 cruel; brutal
3 (slang) to destroy; to dominate (in games/competition)

Characters

虐

nüè

cruel; to abuse; to tyrannize

Examples

不能虐待动物。

Bùnéng nüèdài dòngwù.

You must not abuse animals.

他在游戏里被虐了。

Tā zài yóuxì lǐ bèi nüè le.

He got destroyed in the game.

这部剧太虐了，看得我哭了。

Zhèbù jù tài nüè le, kàn de wǒ kū le.

This drama is so heartbreaking, it made me cry.

Tips

usage

In internet slang, 虐 has expanded beyond 'abuse' to mean 'emotionally devastating' (for dramas/stories) or 'to crush/dominate' (in games). 虐心 (nüèxīn) means 'heartbreaking.'

Components

radical

虍 hū

tiger top (radical)

Top tiger-stripe radical — upper portion of 虎, drawing a tiger's head and forelegs. As the indexing radical it carries the meaning: the original picture was a tiger striking down on prey. Tigers stand for ferocity, hence 'cruel, brutal.' Family: 虎 tiger, 虑 worry, 虚 empty.

semantic

彐 jì

claw-shape; here a clawed paw

Bottom 彐 — three-stroke fragment that here pictures the tiger's reversed claws raking downward over its prey. Combined with the tiger top above it gives the literal etymology: tiger claws tearing into a victim — the savage scene that gave 虐 its core meaning of cruel mistreatment.