Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 恨 | hèn |
| 討厭 / 讨厌 | tǎoyàn |
| 仇恨 | chóuhèn |
| 憎 | zēng |
| 憎恨 | zēnghèn |
| 嫌 | xián |
| 恨惡 / 恨恶 | hènwù |
The Chinese language offers several ways to express dislike or hatred depending on the intensity and the reason for the feeling. While 恨 (hèn) expresses deep-seated resentment or intense hatred, 討厭 (tǎoyàn) is used for much milder feelings of being annoyed by something or someone. If you dislike something because it is inconvenient, bothersome or fails to meet your standards, such as hating the heat or a certain noise, you can use 嫌 (xián). For expressing strong feelings of disgust or repulsion, the formal term 厌恶 (yànwù) is used, while the informal term 恶心 (ěxīn) conveys a similar feeling of disgust in casual conversation.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ primarily in intensity and noun/verb usage. 恨 (hèn) is a heavy, strong word for deep emotional resentment. In contrast, 討厭 (tǎoyàn) is colloquial and used for everyday annoyances or to describe someone as 'annoying.' 仇恨 (chóuhèn) is a formal term used as a noun or verb to describe systemic enmity or deep-seated hatred between groups or individuals, rather than a simple personal feeling. For extreme intensity, 憎恨 (zēnghèn) or 憎 (zēng) can be used to express intense hatred, especially toward people or groups. Finally, 恨惡 (hènwù) is another way to express hatred.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of southwestern China, the term 恼火 (nǎohuǒ) is used to convey strong hatred or extreme irritation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 恨 (hèn) does not change its form to indicate tense. You must rely on context or additional time particles to show whether the hatred occurred in the past or is happening in the present.
How do you pronounce it?
hèn
Did you know?
- While 討厭 (tǎoyàn) means 'to hate' or 'to dislike', it is frequently used in a playful or flirtatious way to call someone 'annoying' in a cute manner.
- The character for 'hate', 恨, contains the radical 忄, which represents the 'heart' or 'emotions'. This suggests that in the Chinese linguistic view, hatred is a feeling rooted directly in the heart.
- The word 憎 (zēng), meaning 'to hate', shares a phonetic root with the word 增 (zēng), which means 'to increase'. This may imply a sense of emotions accumulating or building up over time.
Examples in context
- 你那么恨她吗？Do you hate her that much?This sentence is useful for asking about the intensity of someone's hatred using 恨.Tatoeba #5613625 by verdastelo9604, translation #3915635 by CH
- 你为什么恨我？Why do you hate me?This sentence is useful for asking the reason for someone's hatred using 恨.Tatoeba #8589273 by easononizuka, translation #1886495 by CK
- 我恨我的电脑。I hate my computer.This sentence is useful for expressing hatred toward an inanimate object using 恨.Tatoeba #9970235 by GlossaMatik, translation #2821975 by Hybrid
- 我讨厌吃香菜。I hate eating cilantro.
- 我讨厌死了这家餐厅的服务。I absolutely hate the service in this restaurant.
- 他厌恶那个人的虚伪。He hates the hypocrisy of that person.
- 真的烦死了这个电视剧！I really hate this TV drama!
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a bad experience with an ex-partner.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你还恨那个人吗？Nǐ hái hèn nà ge rén ma?Do you still hate that person?
- 伟 Wei我不恨他了，只是不想见他。Wǒ bù hèn tā le, zhǐ shì bù xiǎng jiàn tā.I don't hate him anymore, I just don't want to see him.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，你做得对。Wěi, nǐ zuò de duì.Wei, you are doing the right thing.
- 伟 Wei谢谢你的关心。Xièxie nǐ de guānxīn.Thank you for your concern.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hate” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 恨, 憎, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
