虐 nüè cruel
cruel; harsh; oppressive
How to remember 虐: 虍 tiger + 匚 container + 一 one = cruel. Rescuers find the circus tiger locked in a rusty container with only one small window and agree its owner was cruel.
Component breakdown
虐 = 虍 tiger + 匚 container + 一 one
- 虍 tiger
- 匚 container
- 一 one
Rescuers find the circus tiger locked in a rusty container with only one small window and agree its owner was cruel.
How it is used
- 'Cruel/to abuse' - 虐待 (nüèdài) to maltreat (spouses, children, animals, prisoners), 虐杀 (nüèshā) to brutally kill, 自虐 (zìnüè) self-abuse.
- Reading trap: nüè, not the common misreading. Online slang 虐 also means 'gut-wrenching/tear-jerking', as of a tragic plot (这剧情太虐了).