Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 霸凌 | bàlíng |
| 欺負 / 欺负 | |
| 恃強欺弱 / 恃强欺弱 | |
| 恃強凌弱 | shìqiánglíngruò |
| 欺凌 | qīlíng |
Bullying refers to persistent acts intended to make life unpleasant. You can use 霸凌 to describe the phenomenon generally, or more specifically 校園霸凌 to refer to school bullying. For more aggressive or predatory behaviors, the phrase 恶霸行为 translates to "acts of bullying". If the behavior involves playful pranks or practical jokes rather than malicious harm, the term 捉弄 is more appropriate.
What does it mean word for word?
The idiom 恃強凌弱 (shìqiánglíngruò) literally means "to rely on strength to bully the weak".
Which one should you use?
The terms differ based on intensity and context. 欺負 is a colloquial way to say "to bully" or "to pick on someone", covering everything from serious bullying to lighthearted teasing. In contrast, 霸凌 is a modern, formal term used to describe the phenomenon of bullying in news, legal or educational contexts. For a formal representation of the concept itself, use 欺凌.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, 欺負 is commonly used for bullying in both formal and informal situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
欺負 is a verb that can be used directly in a sentence to mean "to bully". In contrast, 霸凌 is more commonly used as a noun to describe the act of bullying or as a noun-modifier.
How do you pronounce it?
霸凌 is pronounced bàlíng.
Did you know?
- The word 霸凌 is a phonetic loanword created to mimic the sound of the English word 'bullying'.
- The word 霸 (bà) in 霸凌 carries a historical connotation of a 'hegemon' or a powerful ruler who dominates others through force rather than virtue.
- In some contexts, 欺負 can be used playfully between romantic partners or close friends to mean 'picking on' someone in a flirting way.
Examples in context
- 学校应该采取有效措施来解决欺凌问题。The school should take effective measures to address the issue of bullying.
- 他整天欺负那个小男孩，真让人生气！He bullies that little boy all the time, which is really infuriating!
- 不要嘲笑他，那是不对的行为！Don't mock him, it's an unacceptable behavior!
- 學校裡的霸凌問題很嚴重。Xuéxiào lǐ de bàlíng wèntí hěn yánzhòng.The problem of bullying in school is very serious.
- 我們應該阻止霸凌行為。Wǒmen yīnggāi zǔzhǐ bàlíng xíngwéi.We should stop bullying behavior.
- 她曾是霸凌的受害者。Tā céng shì bàlíng de shòuhàizhě.She was once a victim of bullying.
Example conversation
Two coworkers are discussing a news report about school safety.
- 伟 Wei最近關於校園霸凌的新聞很多。Zuìjìn guānyú xiàoyuán bàlíng de xīnwén hěnduō.There has been a lot of news about school bullying lately.
- 雨婷 Yuting是啊，這對孩子影響很大。Shì a, zhè duì háizi yǐngxiǎng hěn dà.Yes, it has a huge impact on children.
- 伟 Wei我們必須關注這些問題。Wǒmen bìxū guānzhù zhèxiē wèntí.We must pay attention to these issues.
- 雨婷 Yuting沒錯，社會需要更多關注。Méi cuò, shèhuì xūyào gèng duō guānzhù.Exactly, society needs to pay more attention.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bullying” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
